Mental Records

OLD SCHOOL: BLOOD MOON

2011-06-21T15:22:00.005-05:00

Let's take a trip back to the early 90s. I know, it'll be scary. There's all sorts of things we'll probably see: pinned and rolled acid-washed jeans, Boyz II Men videos on MTV, maybe even a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle or two. We're also apt to see a scrawny, gawky-looking teenage drama nerd with a penchant for mystery novels and big, swooping hair. Like, Jason Priestley, 90210 large hair. And as you may have guessed, the nerd with the comic books and Stephen King novels in his backpack, rushing off to play practice? Yeah, that's me.

In our basement, there are bins of old work from my childhood, from elementary school through the aforementioned awkward teen years. There are papers and stories and poems (yes, I wrote them for a girl. And yes, it did work, so lay off) written on my grandfather's old typewriter. There's childhood stories about Spider-Man, about werewolves, about The Hardy Boys. There's also a bunch of printed out emails from college, when my friends and I would spend our workstudy time sending one another lyrics for a fictional rap group (don't ask).

So I'm going to start sharing them with you. I thought it would be fun to see what that early work was like, and how it has - or hasn't - influenced my current work.

Up first? A little gem titled Blood Moon, a short story I wrote in '93 for my creative writing assignment. It's about a man who discovers his one true love has been kidnapped by an ancient vampire, and he and his chums rush off to rescue her. Yep. I was on to the whole vampire craze waaaay before that Stephenie Meyers lady.

Here's the opening paragraph:

He crouched there, quivering. Deep in the shadows of a far-away corner of the castle, he sat with his head between his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs. His body ached from the amount of time he had hidden there, in the abandoned room in a cobwebbed corner. His mind, filled with fear, ran back the dreadful events of the night so far, fearing the end of it.

Exciting, right? You want to read more, right? Well, if you do, God bless you. The whole story is just one click away.

CLICK HERE FOR THE WHOLE STORY.

Be on the lookout for more posts like this, where I start to share all kinds of quirky stories from and about my youth.

Until then,
B

*NOTE: How cool is that Photoshop art I whipped up?!

SUMMER READING

2011-06-15T16:11:00.028-05:00

So, I've got a nice deck. Yeah, I know. "That's a weird thing to brag about, Brandon," you're saying. "What does that have to do with books?" But stick with me here. This deck? You'd almost say it's dang-near perfect. It's large, there's a great table and chairs and a wide umbrella, and it rests in the shade of a towering tree. It's the ideal spot to kick back in the summer, crack open something cold, and get acquainted with a good book. And nearly every spare minute I have, I'm doing just that. So now that summer has arrived, and that shady perch is once more a warm weather mainstay, I thought I'd share a few of the things on my reading list.

THE HUNGER GAMES TRILOGY by Suzanne Collins: I'll be the first to admit, some of the books on this list are ones I've been hankering to read for some time. This past Christmas, I received the set of all three hardcovers, and they've been patiently sitting on my shelf, waiting for me. I polished off the first book in no time, and plan to do the same with the other two soon. I can easily see why this is a popular and engaging series of books. And the fact that it reminds me of The Running Man (sans a flag-wearing Jesse Ventura and an evil Richard Dawson) makes it even more awesome.

THE PASSAGE by Justin Cronin: Again, something I've been waiting to read for some time. Last summer, when I started my latest WIP, I purchased Passage as a reward for a completed manuscript. Two revised drafts later, the WIP is still just that. But I feel like I've earned some killer zombie action.

FUN AND GAMES by Duane Swierczynski: Reading a Swierczy book is like getting an adrenaline shot to the heart, Thurman-style. If you love fast-paced, smart action, definitely check him out. Games, about a group of hitmen who specialize in making deaths look like accidents, seems to be another jolt of action. It's almost like Eric Stoltz has already drawn an 'X' on my chest in Sharpie.

BLOODY CRIMES by James Swanson: Swanson penned one of my favorite non-fiction reads, the amazing Manhunt, which follows two parallel storylines: the death of Abraham Lincoln, and the search for his elusive killer, John Wilkes Booth. Crimes, the story of Jefferson Davis and the funeral pageant of Lincoln's body, continues his captivating, heavily-researched narrative.

BOSSYPANTS by Tina Fey: Let's go back five years or so. NBC was producing 2 shows about late night sketch shows. One had the name Aaron Sorkin attached to it; one was a sitcom with, of all people, The Shadow..I mean, Alec Baldwin. I'll admit, I thought the Sorkin/Matthew Perry drama had the legs to make it, and didn't put much faith in 30 Rock. Damn, I'm glad I was wrong. Tina Fey is like the prettiest girl in band class, the one you totally have a crush on, the one you know is not only way smarter than you, but that she wouldn't have time for Indiana Jones references. She's too busy being amazing. Nerd crush? You bet.

KILLING KATE by Julie Kramer: The fourth book in the witty and entertaining Riley Spartz series. Set in the good ol' Twin Cities, with the backdrop of local television reporting, the Spartz series is always smart, funny, and filled with twists.

MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN by Ransom Riggs: Sometimes, a book comes out of nowhere and you can't stop thinking about it. Last week, I had no clue what Home even was. Now, I'm obsessed with reading it. Weaving a story around existing...um, peculiar...photographs is an ingenious idea. Must. Get. Hands. On. This. Book.

THE LEFTOVERS by Tom Perrotta: Perrotta excels at making the craft of writing effortless, and his natural tone made Little Children one of the best books I've read in a while, and cemented him as one of my favorite authors.

The fun doesn't end when summer does, though. Fall is looking pretty mint as well, with a number of great books (many by talented Minnesota authors) hitting the shelves.

NORTHWEST ANGLE by William Kent Krueger: I've been a fan of Kent's since he visited the Barnes and Noble I worked at and graciously signed and chatted with me for my entire 15 (plus) minute break. The arrival of a new Cork O'Connor mystery is always met with eager anticipation in the Terrell home, and this is no exception.

BROOKLYN, BURNING by Steve Brezenoff: I feel pretty lucky to have befriended a number of talented writers courtesy of the Interwebs, and Steve tops that list. His previous work, The Absolute Value of -1, is a fantastic book told from the perspective of each of the three main characters. Steve's ability of weave character and voice through out the narrative is an enviable trait. Be prepared, people. From what I've read, Burning is going to knock your proverbial socks off.

THE TANGLEWOOD TERROR by Kurtis Scaletta: You know how they say never judge a book by its cover? Well, they haven't seen this damn cover. How could you not pick up this book? The fact that Kurtis (another Minnesotan I've been fortunate enough to speak to on the Internet, where we grumble about the Twins or make fun of Steve's love of the Yankees) is a great storyteller. And if you love baseball, check out Mudville, Scaletta's novel about family, and the longest baseball game in history.

THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK by Kelly Barnhill: Yet another MN author I've been fortunate enough to discover online. Jack is Kelly's debut novel, about a boy who visits his family in Iowa, and discovers the townsfolk have been waiting a long time for him. I can't wait to get my hands on this magical, whimsical book.

BIGGER THAN A BREADBOX by Laurel Synder: Speaking of magic...I've only recently discovered Snyder's work, but I'm thankful I have. Her novel Penny Dreadful was a charming book, and Breadbox - about a magical breadbox that delivers your wish, so long as it fits inside said box - is earning rave reviews.

Last but not least...it's been about a year and a half (oh how time flies) since one of my favorite publishers, Hard Case Crime, has released a book. And this October, they're back with a vengeance. Included in the line-up of books by authors like Max Allan Collins, Donald Westlake, and Lawrence Block is this killer little novel called CHOKE HOLD by Christa Faust.

So there you have it. That's what I'll be reading on my deck this summer and fall. Care to join me? There's enough shade for everyone!

B

SPRINGCON THIS WEEKEND!

2011-05-20T14:57:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Well, it seems like we had to arm wrestle Mother Nature for spring this year, but after turning our hat around backward and going 'Over the Top', we finally won. It's been a pretty beautiful stretch here in MN (until today, of course. As I write this, it's dark and rumbly and glum-lookin' outside. Almost like the Rapture approaches...)

Of course, this isn't just a post about the weather, because really, how boring would that be? I wanted to remind all of you comic book fans and lovers of all things nerdy that this weekend is the annual SPRINGCON comic convention hosted by the Midwest Comic Book Association at the State Fairgrounds. This is the big 2-day event, held in the large Grandstand building. If you haven't attended the show, it's a great venue, filled to the brim with talented folks - artists, writers, vendors, panels, etc. - and I'm proud to say I'll be there at a table, once more selling copies of Horrorwood & Drake Bacula.

So if you're in the area - hell, even if you're not! - come on over and check it out. The show runs 10AM - 5PM both days (Sat. and Sun., barring earthquakes, zombie uprisings, or Kirk Cameron sightings).

For more info about the con, check out the MCBA's website HERE.

Hope to see you there!

B
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WINONA OR BUST!

2011-05-11T15:17:00.000-05:00

Hey all! Well, May is shaping up to be one heck of a busy month, on both the professional and personal front. But hey, as my Pops used to say, "Make hay while the sun shines."

So, on top of two contracted books (an exciting project that I'll discuss more of later), my lovely wife's birthday, Mother's Day, my son's second birthday - and subsequent birthday party, a much-needed and highly anticipated visit from my sister in Colorado, SpringCon (check back for more deets soon), and meetings with a fantastic writer's group, I've been asked to speak at the Hiawatha Valley Education District's Young Writer's Conference tomorrow and Friday in Winona.

I'm very much looking forward to the opportunity to speak with kids who are passionate about writing, and who are eager to learn more about it. My session, entitled "And...ACTION!" discusses the similarities and differences in novel writing and screenwriting, and the elements needed to write a screenplay. So yeah, I get to talk about scripts, films, and filmmaking with a bunch of kids over the next couple of days. Super. Cool.

Hope everything's right as rain in your neck of the Interwebs!

B

MS WALK MAY 1ST

2011-04-26T15:47:00.003-05:00

Greetings, everyone! This Sunday, I will be participating in the annual National MS Society's Walk MS in the Twin Cities. This will be the 5th (or 6th) time Jen and myself have strapped on our walkin' shoes and got down to business. And for good reason, too. My cousin Chad has been battling MS for some time now, and even though it sometimes feels like there is little I can do to help, this annual walk is a great reminder that there is hope. For change. For a cure. For a chance. So it's an honor and a privilege to be able to walk alongside Chad and our family to support the efforts of the National MS Society.

That said, I am hoping you will consider sponsoring me in my efforts. A donation of any size will go a long way to support a great cause.

If you'd like to make a donation, CLICK HERE.

This will take you to a search engine. Simply type in my name (adding the appropriate state will winnow down your search) and you will taken to my page.

Thank you so much.

All the best,
B

A SHORT(S) POST

2011-04-18T23:11:00.008-05:00

Hey y'all! See, that's my new way of saying hi, seeing as how Netflix has the first four seasons of Friday Night Lights available to stream instantly, and I'm neck deep in Dillon Panthers football. But seriously, this post isn't to update you on my television viewing habits (I'll do that at another time). Nope, the 2011 Minneapolis / St. Paul International Film Festival is underway right now (April 14 - May 5), showcasing flicks from around the globe.

Part of the fest is a wonderful night of highlighting locally-shot short narrative films. The screening is taking place tomorrow night (Tuesday, April 19th) at the Saint Anthony Main theater (a frequently-visited theater back in my college days. Ah, the 90s).

Among the mini-flicks screening - and making it's premiere - is Patrick Coyle's The Comeback. If you recall, Patrick is the uber-talented director behind the feature Into Temptation, on which I was fortunate enough to work as the First Assistant Director. Well, same goes for The Comeback. Patrick, myself, and a dedicated and talented cast and crew shot much of the film in a single day. It's a touching flick about a man going back to work after suffering a terrible loss.

Of the other films screening Tuesday, I can proudly say I am good friends with two other talented filmmakers showing their work. Local producer/director Todd Cobery will be screening his powerful, heart-wrenching piece Good Morning, Beautiful. It's a deeply emotional story about a man facing a great loss, and it features a quietly affecting performance by a fantastic actor named Dave Tufford.

On the lighter side, there's Sarah Jean Kruchowski's Jerry Schwingle and the Happiness Well, a bright, cheerful story about a guy having the worst luck imaginable, and the magical well that just may be able to grant him a bit of happiness.

So if you're in the neighborhood Tuesday evening, come check them out. There's a slew of talented folks making movies in the Twin Cities. Come out and support them!

For more info on the MSPIFF, click HERE.

Remember: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!
B

BLOOMINGTON WRITER'S FESTIVAL

2011-03-18T09:44:00.002-05:00

Hey gang. Yep, I've gone and done it again. I've strayed away from my blog for months on end, only to show up at your doorstep, on my knees, begging for your forgiveness. You're wary, you don't want to trust me again. Heck, you've probably already started seeing other blogs. I get it. I don't blame you. But I've got some pretty cool things to share in the near future, so I hope we can still be friends.

Tomorrow (Saturday, March 19), I will be participating in the annual Bloomington Writer's Festival & Book Fair. It's my first time at the event, which guarantees to be a day filled with literary conversations, exciting and fresh new books, and plenty of networking. I'll be seated at a table with publisher Tom Keyes, whose company Third Child Press has published such wonderful books as This Sold House and Dart.

The book fair is free to the public, so if you're interested, come on down. There are workshops about writing and publishing all day, but I believe you need to pre-register for those. For more info on the event, and a schedule of workshops and authors, check out their website HERE.

Here's a few more details...

Where: Bloomington Center for the Arts (1800 W. Old Shakopee Rd, Bloomington)
When: Saturday, March 19th
Time: Book Fair is from 11AM-3:30PM (registered events begin earlier, however)
Cost:

Hope to see you there!

B

HUT HUT HIKE!

2011-01-05T15:26:00.007-06:00

Hey there! Happy 2011, everyone! The year kind of snuck in under the radar. While at a friend's party, we took a break from a riveting game to ring in the new year, pouring glasses of bubbly and clicking on the radio, only to hear the last lingering notes of Auld Lang Syne. To quote Maxwell Smart, "Missed it by that much." Well, we counted down and toasted anyway, because that's what Dick Clark would have wanted us to do. So sure, I may have missed its introduction, but I have no doubt that 2011 is going to be one heck of a good year. I've got big plan for the next 365 days - well, 361, to be exact.

To that effect, sound the horns, because the year is already off to a great start. The first of my two graphic novels, each published by the fine folks at Stone Arch Books, will be released in their Spring line of books. The book, part of their Sports Illustrated Kids series of graphic novels, is titled Quarterback Scramble. It's an action-packed, eye-popping football story, with gorgeous art by Gerardo Sandoval and Benny Fuentes.

Here's the rundown:

As the backup quarterback for the Hawks, Ben Paulson is happy to ride the bench and hang out with his teammates on the sidelines. But everything changes when the Hawks' star quarterback, Wes Blake, gets suspended for pulling poor grades in math. With Ben at the helm, the offense starts to stall, and his teammates place the blame squarely on his shoulders. Soon after, a possible solution to Ben's passing problems reveals itself -- but he's not so sure it's the right answer.

Sounds good, right? For more info about the other books in the series, click the magical button HERE.

That's it for now. But get ready, 2011. You're about to get sacked (see what I did there?).

More soon,
B

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Y'ALL!

2010-12-23T13:27:00.003-06:00

Post number 2! And you thought it would never happen! IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!! Well, most of the work on this one is courtesy of my two good friends, Copy and Paste. Much like last year, I spent some time jotting down a recap of our year, highlighting some of the shenanigans you may find interesting. And much like last year, I'm about to post that letter in all its glory.

So Happy Holidays everyone!

Ho ho ho and happy holidays! It’s the most wonderful time of the year again. As I write this, Old Man Winter has blanketed much of Minnesota with over a foot of the fluffy white stuff, forcing many of us to either tunnel our way out of our homes or to fire up the ol’ snowblower. So there certainly won’t be any dreaming of a white Christmas this year, Mr. Crosby. No indeed. But before you sit on Santa’s lap and rattle off your holiday wishes, or fill yourself with a healthy dose of eggnog or Tom & Jerry’s, allow me a few moments to fill you in on what’s been happening in our little corner of this snow-covered globe.

My beautiful better half continues to amaze this humble guy every day. Alex is pretty lucky to have such a wonderful, loving mother. And boy does the kid know it. Even when she’s not around, he’ll walk around the house shouting, “Mom? MOM!” looking for her. Jen continues her work as Lead Photographer for Chicago-based VHT. Each day, she travels the construction-filled or ice-coated highways of the Twin Cities photographing a wide variety of real estate for over a hundred different realtors throughout the metro area. She also visits various offices, speaking to large groups of realtors about photography. Boy, to be a fly on the wall during one of those meetings! Despite this busy and demanding schedule, we were able to travel this past winter (another of Jen’s loves), taking a long weekend and introducing Alex to the oceanic shores of beautiful Naples, Florida. He was a little terrified of the water, but he enjoyed the feel of warm sand in his toes (and yes, he sampled a small taste of it, as well. He did not like it). Through it all, Jen has documented our adventures with that trusty camera of hers, filling many an album with memories we will forever cherish…and a few we will use to embarrass Alex in the future.

As a stay-at-home Dad, I have been able to share quite a bit of time with Alex. From story time at the Red Balloon bookshop to summer trips to the water park with friends to frequent library visits, our days are chock full of activities. I’ve also been able to spend time with my laptop, writing two children’s graphic novels for local publisher Stone Arch Books. Both titles are a part of their collaboration with Sports Illustrated for Kids, and both will be available in 2011. The first is a football story titled Quarterback Scramble, and the other a surfing – yes, you read that right – story whose title is yet to be determined. This year also saw me braving one of the most dangerous places known to man: elementary schools! I visited a number of schools, both in Mankato and around the state, speaking about writing and sharing my book Drake Bacula: MonSTAR! with students. Kids are an imaginative and energetic group, and I had a blast creating stories with them. On the film front, I was able to participate in a couple of great short films this year, and even dabbled a bit in the commercial world again, as an Assistant Director. All in all, I’m a pretty lucky fella, and I count my blessings each day.

When last I wrote one of these, Alex was a mere seven months old, just barely sitting up and eating solid food. What a difference a year makes! Our inert baby has transformed into a raucous toddler with only two settings: Sleep and Perpetual Motion. He goes from zero to one hundred faster than a European sports car. Now nearly nineteen months old, Alex is changing everyday, and is a true marvel to watch. Here’s a rundown of just a few antics the energetic lad is up to now:

- He runs everywhere
- He dances to any and all music (thankfully, he has his Dad’s stylish moves)
- He loves to help us cook
- He’s quite proficient at animal sounds. Ask him what a lion says, and cower at his mighty roar
- Included in his animal noises are sounds for ghosts, dinosaurs, and Santa
- His every-growing vocabulary includes words like Mom, Daddy, yes, no, ball, book, ding-dong (for bell, not an affectionate nickname for anyone), yummy, clock, and star
- Our nightly dinner routine includes Alex holding his cup in the air, shouting “Cheers!” and waiting for each of us to clink it
- He loves to color and draw, and appreciates his parents’ art school expertise (stick figures and smiley faces)
- There is nothing cooler in this world than a curious monkey named George
- He loves the library, bookstore, and comic shop, and will sit in his chair and flip through books. Like Papa, like son.
- He makes us – and himself – laugh every day
- His camera smile and his stink face look suspiciously similar
- He talks up a storm. True, he speaks his own language most of the time, but he seems to understand what he’s saying, even if we don’t

When you’re young, time finds a way to slow down. Christmas seems ages away, and you feel like those prettily wrapped packages sitting under your tree are never going to be opened. But as you get older, time finds a way to do the exact opposite: it slips by without you even noticing. The holidays are the perfect reason to slow down, to enjoy the presence of family and friends, and to tell them how very special they are to you. We have been blessed to watch our little baby grow into a tiny man this past year. Even though he’s only nineteen months old, we know that before too long, he’ll be asking for our car keys and applying to colleges. So amidst your hectic schedule of holiday programs, last-minute shopping, and repeat viewings of Frosty the Snowman, take a moment to show friends and family that you love them, because, as the residents of Whoville reminded the Grinch, “Christmas day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp.”

We love you all dearly, and wish you and your family nothing but hope, love, and happiness this holiday season.

All our love,
Brandon, Jen, and Alex Terrell

HORRORWOOD GOES MOBILE

2010-12-21T13:48:00.008-06:00

Happy winter, all! Yeah, I know what you're saying, because I'm saying it too: where the hell were you this fall? Nay, this summer? Well, long story short, I was trying hard to balance the duties of a full-time stay at home Dad with that of a freelance writer/artist. Yeah, it's not the best excuse, but it's the one I offer to you now as a form of apology. I promise, one of my New Year's resolutions (aside from finally training to be a ninja and joining a flash mob) is to be a more frequent blogger. And I think that's indeed possible. After all, I have an inkling 2011 has great potential.

In my time away from this blog, I've watched my little baby turn into a full-fledged toddler. It's a wonder to behold, seeing the squirt running full-tilt at everything, laughing at any and everything, and spouting more and more words each day. The summer saw us hanging out with friends weekly, a trio of fellow stay at homers, and their kids. We visited an array of parks and water parks, and it was truly an amazing experience. My wife and I are blessed to be able to share this time of our lives with friends whose children are all roughly the same age, and who all get along so splendidly. I'll post more about all this later. Like, tomorrow.

"Two posts in one week? I'll believe it when I see it, Terrell!"

Fair enough.

The other reason I neglected this blog (and this has the potential to be quite an exciting reason) is that, in my spare time - nap time, bed time, etc. - I wrote the first draft of a young adult novel! It took longer than I anticipated, but it is there, and it is currently going through the initial stages of revision. Writing a novel-length piece can be a daunting proposition, but I came up with a solid metaphor when starting: "The first draft is like a lump of clay. You have to have the clay on the table, if you want to create a sculpture." So...that's my way of saying, the manuscript needs a bunch of work. But the clay is there. Now it's time to sculpt.

Enough about that (for now). What does any of this have to do with Horrorwood? Well, nothing at all! But there is exciting news to report regarding that killer comic from a few years back. The great gang over at Graphic.ly, an online comic reader, now has the book available for download. What makes Graphic.ly unique is that it is not just a mobile application, but it also offers the ability to view comics on a desktop or online using Adobe Air.

So if you're curiously looking for the ideal thing to download onto that fancy new mobile device St. Nick is about to leave in your stocking, search no further. You can find the free - FREE - preview, and all four issues of Horrorwood by clicking HERE. You will have to create a free account with them, and the books are $1.99 an issue. Graphic.ly also features a slew of other comics, too, so it's totally worth it.

We're really excited to offer Horrorwood on Graphic.ly. We hope you give it a read!

More soon,
B

FALLCON COMIC BOOK PARTY!

2010-10-16T00:11:00.004-05:00

First off, I know I’ve been away for what feels like an eternity. A whole summer with zero contact. I know I owe an explanation for my absence. And I promise I will tell you all about it. Sure, it’ll be filled with more soiled diapers and playdates than exciting, life-altering adventures, but I’ll share it nonetheless.

For now, though, I want to make sure you’re all aware of the upcoming FallCon comic celebration at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Every year, the MCBA hosts a killer show, and this year is no exception. A slew of talented local artists and writers will be there, sharing their work, and there will be many a longbox filled with 50 cent treasures just waiting to be found. Like this one, plucked from a bargain bin by yours truly last year:

So if you're in the neighborhood, please come check it out. Support the local comic book community. They're a swell bunch of folks, and a group of which I'm proud to count myself a member.

For more info on the show, either listen to Batman there or click HERE.

More adventures soon. SOON!

Much love,
B

ATTACK OF THE MOM!

2010-05-14T20:40:00.002-05:00

So earlier in the week, we purchased a FlipCam. We'd been using a camera loaned to us by a good friend, and as of now, I have 3 DV tapes chronicling Alex's first 11 months next to me on the desk, waiting to be digitized. While I'm very appreciative of the camera, it was time to get something that afforded us a better opportunity to upload videos of the little dude and share them with family and friends.

Here's the first video we shot (I promise I won't clog the site up too much with adorableness).

Have a great weekend, all. Remember to check out SpringCon at the State Fairgrounds.

B

SPRINGCON THIS WEEKEND

2010-05-12T23:02:00.004-05:00

Usually around this time of year, Minnesota comic fans are gearing up for a one-day dose of comic tomfoolery called MicroCon. Well, after 20 years, the MCBA is pulling a switcheroo. They're supersizing the spring convention, making it a whole weekend of fun, while turning October's 'FallCon' into a one day event.

Thus, I give you...SpringCon 2010.

There's a really great line-up of artists and writers. Buffy Season Eight artist Georges Jeanty and Superman II's villainous vixen Ursa, the actress Sarah Douglas, are just a couple of exciting new talent at the show. It's a pretty impressive group, so it'll totally be worth it to come check it out.

I will be there as well, serving up copies of Horrorwood and Drake Bacula:MonSTAR! alongside artist Brent Schoonover and Drake publisher Ryan Jacobson. Also, this will be the first year Nicole Schoonover, Brent's wife, will be selling her handmade comic-inspired greeting cards.

Here are the details for the show:

Hope to see you this weekend!
B

MS WALK THIS SUNDAY

2010-04-29T11:40:00.006-05:00

My cousin Chad is just a couple years older than me. As kids, I was always one step behind him, whether it was playing ball in the backyard (where his wicked curve ball not only tore the laces from my dad's mitt, but it taught me to step out of the batter's box if the ball breaks toward your thigh), revving up the three-wheeler through my grandfather's pasture (our paths are now the site of Chad's parent's home), or rollerblading feverishly through the streets of Eagle Lake (his ice hockey skills made him a pro. Me? I looked like a baby deer learning to walk. I'm quite graceful).

Needless to say, I have always looked up to Chad. And I still do. Now more than ever.

Six years ago, Chad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that disrupts the communication between your brain and body, creating immense pain and making movement difficult. He's been bravely battling the disease ever since, proving to everyone around him how strong he truly is.

It's times like these that you wish for superhuman powers, for some ability to affect the fight, but that's only in the funny books. One of the greatest ways to support my family and the fight against MS is to participate in the annual MS Walk, a winding trek through Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis (the walk also occurs in cities through the country, so if you would like to participate, it's quite easy).

The walk is this Sunday (May 2), and Jen and myself will be once more showing our support. This will be the first time our 'little walker' will be joining us, and I'm sure Alex will be waddling away with the rest of the crew.

I understand that in this current financial climate, finding the funds to support even the best causes has become increasing difficult. So I'll just throw it out there. If you'd like to donate, any amount is greatly appreciated.

To make a secure, online payment, all you have to do is CLICK HERE.

Thanks, everyone.

All the best,
B

'DAWINING' HITS MANKATO!

2010-04-11T10:35:00.003-05:00

Okay, how cool is this gonna be? Dawning, the frightening flick I worked on a couple of falls ago, will be screening for 3 WEEKS in Mankato!

Premiering April 16th, the feature - shot on a shoestring budget by local director Gregg Holtgrewe, with a small, dedicated crew and cast - will be showing at the recently renovated Spectrum Cinema (formerly the Mall 4 theaters, for those 80s Kato kids). The theater, currently playing second-run flicks, offers discounted tickets and concession prices. I mean, $3.00 to see Dawning? Now that's a deal.

The folks at Spectrum will be hosting a premiere event for the flick on the evening of April 16th, with director Holtgrewe and other cast and crew present. Now here's some bummer news: I will not be able to make the event. It breaks my heart. Jen, Alex, and I will be whisking away to Naples, Florida that weekend to visit our good friend Sam, and to introduce Alex to the ocean.

The good news? The film is screening for 3 WEEKS, remember?! So while I cannot make the premiere, I will definitely be making the trip to Mankato to see the film, hopefully with a number of friends and family in tow.

So if you're in Mankato, and you want to see a solid, gripping horror movie that relies on the strength of its characters and situation, and not on the number of buckets of fake blood poured on its actors, then please check out Dawning. You will not be disappointed!

THE CASE OF THE MISSING BLOGGER

2010-04-05T22:45:00.011-05:00

Oh. Hey! How's it going?

Okay, I know I need to start this with an apology. Here I am, promising to keep the handful of you abreast of what's happening in my life, and then I go and vanish from the Interwebs. Where'd ya go? you're asking. Did you witness a murder, and were you then forced to enter the Witness Protection Program and hide out as a high school student like Jon Cryer in the movie...um, Hiding Out?

As cool and hilarious as that sounds...it's far from the truth. I've just been away.

And it's not like there haven't been exciting things to share. The last couple of months have been full of milestones. Since I've last posted, Alex has gone from tentative crawling to stumble-stepping on his own. Sure, he looks like he's failing a field sobriety test and his progress is often thwarted by a pesky rug, but he's walking. And it's damn adorable. He also decided one day that he wanted to climb the steps. Never showed an inkling that he cared about them. Then all of the sudden, a knee went up. He pulled himself onto the first step. Realized it was aces. And went the rest of the way. He loves books, enjoys flipping through the pages and warbling in his newfound half-babble, half-yodel language. His book-loving pops can't get enough of that!

So yeah, there are things I could be sharing. And I know a number of superhuman folks who find the energy and stick-to-it-tiveness to blog on a near daily basis about their child's activities. Nary a tooth goes uncut without a photo posted online to commemorate the occasion. And I commend them. I wish I could do it. When I find the extra hour (and by that I mean summer television season), I'll try harder to update you on the wonderful world of Alex. But I'm trying to keep this blog a respectable combination of my personal and my professional worlds.

So in keeping with that...

I've been fortunate enough to visit a couple of elementary schools this spring to talk about my chapter book Drake Bacula: MonSTAR! (available on this website...cough...cough...shameless...) I go into a school, talk to the kids a little about the elements of storytelling, and then we do a fun little interactive project where we write a movie for the book's titular character, Drake Bacula (Movie star! Vampire!) to star in. The results are always hilarious. From stories involving an accountant named Frank N. Stein to Drake fighting a giant, evil newt named Dr. Figg, it's easy to see the kids are brimming with creativity.

My first visit was quite surreal, as I stepped into the hallowed halls of Washington Elementary School in Mankato. From grades 4-6, I pestered the teachers of Washington with my loud mouth and obsession with the Hardy Boys. So I was honored to come back, to walk the halls again, and recall some wonderful, fond memories (though I'm thinking the time I was kneed in the groin in 6th grade, sent to the nurse's office with an ice pack, only to have my teacher send down the girl I had a crush on to check on me doesn't necessarily fall under the 'fond memories' category). And considering I spent so much of my time in the library, it was all the more special to present there as well.

Now, funny story about the Hardy Boys. During the presentation, I ask the students about their favorite books, and when I rattle off my faves, I make sure to include Frank and Joe (if you don't believe my obsession, ask my wife to show you the giant container currently holding over 150 HB books in our basement). After the first presentation, I notice the librarian scouring the shelves. I ask her what she's looking for.

"The Hardy Boys," is her response.

Sure enough, she discovers five hardcover mysteries, the old tattered single-colored library editions on the shelves. The ones that use words like 'chum' and 'jalopy' and 'neato.' The ones where Frank and Joe search for clues behind old grandfather clocks, or track down the door to door leather goods salesman who robbed them (The Criss Cross Shadow, I kid you not). The books looked the same as they did when I was a small lad, save for one change: they all had bar codes on them now.

Well, the librarian opens a couple of them up, looking in the back for the old-fashioned check-out cards. And lo and behold, a couple of them still had them.

And whose name just happened to be scribbled at the top of both cards in well-practiced cursive?

This guy's!!

I couldn't believe it. So very amazing. The media specialists were so gracious, offering one of them to me as a keepsake, while keeping the other for posterity. So I am now the proud owner of the library card for The Sinister Signpost, featuring my name, my good friend Brad's name, and the name of the aforementioned groin-kneeing story perpetrator.

Conclusion: Best. Bookmark. Ever.

I was also asked to visit the astute kids down at Byron Elementary School, down by Rochester. I was a little nervous, having no knowledge of the school, and no friends teaching there (I neglected to mention my friend Eric - I mean, Mr. Miller - now teaches at Washington, in my old 5th grade teacher's room, no less!). But I was immediately put at ease, speaking to some razor sharp students with vivid imaginations. They were quite excited about the book, and I had a really great time speaking with them.

Later this week, I'll be traveling to Kato once more to speak to the students at Hoover Elementary, where my nephew Kaleb will start kindergarten next year. An old family friend teaches there, and she was gracious enough to help set up the visit. I'm looking forward to catching up with her, and introducing the kids to the wacky world of Drake Bacula. Should be a lot of fun.

So I suppose, in the end, I guess I have been hiding out in schools. And here, the only thing I thought I had in common with Jon Cryer was our mutual annoyance toward Charlie Sheen.

Well, looking at the length of this post, I'm starting to feel like I'm compensating for something here. So I'll leave you alone soon enough, with the promise of fun news in the near future. I swear.

So until then,
B

CATCH YOU LATER, 2009!

2010-01-04T23:19:00.024-06:00

Hey there! Welcome to 2010, everyone. Man, what a ride 2009 turned out to be. While it's certainly true that a majority of my time during the year was spent honing my diaper-changing skills and not basking in the glow of a movie theater screen, or sticking my nose in the pages of a good book, I did manage a little bit of time to be entertained. Here's a list of a few movies, television shows, and books that I dug in 2009:

MOVIES:

STAR TREK: I would like to preface this by saying that in the grand Wars/Trek debate, I will always side with Star Wars. It doesn't matter to me that George Lucas went and Jar Jar-ed the new trilogy, the original three will forever be awesome. That said, I frakkin' loved J.J. Abrams' take on the world of Captain Kirk and the ragtag crew of the Enterprise. It was just the summer blockbuster I was looking for (and the only one I was able to see in the theater...G.I. Joe doesn't count). It had everything - action, lens flares, a Beastie Boys song. Star Trek was pure excitement, and I loved every minute of it.

UP: Pixar, you've done it again. They are the only film studio pushing the boundaries of storytelling, continually creating films with the unlikeliest of protagonists. A rat, a robot, an elderly curmudgeon. I don't really cry while watching movies. The last time I flat-out bawled was when Fievel couldn't find his family in An American Tail. With Up, I had a giant lump in my throat in the first ten minutes. It's beautiful, original, and heartbreaking. Plus, there's a talking dog named Dug. Well played, Pixar.

MAN ON WIRE: One of the best heist films I've seen in a long time. "What?" you're saying, "Isn't that the documentary about the French dude that walked on a high wire between the World Trade Center buildings?" You're right. But the hour of the film dedicated to the conceiving, planning, and orchestrating of the actual event is nothing short of amazing. The film never touches on the tragic loss of the Twin Towers, but instead marvels at the beauty of their creation, and the awe-inspiring destiny of one man.

DRAG ME TO HELL: Sam Raimi's movies used to be gritty, ballsy exercises in filmmaking. They were low budget genre flicks heavy on style. Then he went and got all famous. I suppose directing Spider-man films will do that for your career. Raimi never lost his style completely, though (the scene in Spider-man 2 of Doctor Octopus waking up to discover his metal creations were adhered to his body is solid proof). With Drag Me To Hell, Raimi returns to his roots with a fun, disgusting horror film. The car scene alone is worth the price of admission. Sure, Hell is a lot slicker than Raimi's early work, and the effects are over-used, but come on! A possessed goat and a flooded cemetery? Glorious.

DISTRICT 9: I thought I had a clue what this flick was about going in: a metaphor for racial oppression, with insect-like aliens in a militarized zone known as District 9. But that is just the foundation for the Kafka-esque story of a government employee who must evict and transport millions of aliens from their slumlike existence in Johannsesburg (where their ship mysteriously appeared twenty years prior). It's gritty, gory science-fiction shot in a cinema-verite style. Wholly unique and engaging to watch.

ANVIL: THE STORY OF ANVIL: Most of the time, underdog stories are uplifting films about someone reaching their potential. Anvil, an 80s hair band that rocked the stage alongside Metallica, Scorpion, and Bon Jovi (huh?), have been trying to make a name for themselves for over 20 years. This documentary isn't so much about their triumph as it is about their perseverance in an industry that is constantly evolving. Watching them struggle to sell a style of music that's been outdated for over a decade is frustrating. But in the end, Anvil taught me a very valuable lesson: "Lips will show us the way." Oh, Lips is the guitarist. He's pretty awesome.

TELEVISION:

TV was more my speed in 2009. With the little man spending much of the day looking adorable, finding two (sometimes over two) hours to watch a movie was difficult. And trips to the theater? Forget about it. Plus, I'll admit it, television is kind of a hobby of mine. Here's what burned through our TiVo this past year.

LOST: Seriously, there was no way I was going to start a list of top TV shows and not mention Lost first. For four seasons, the show relentlessly teased viewers with visual clues and karmic coincidences. But in season five, they finally let their freak flag fly. Every episode toppled into the next, leading to a mind-altering, time-traveling season of surprises (and one ginormous bomb named 'Jughead'). Lost's final season starts in just a couple of weeks, and I'm already missing it. Sigh...

MAD MEN: On the surface, Mad Men seems like a show where little happens. Often, the episode description is something as blase as 'Don gets a new secretary.' But don't be fooled. Men smolders like a cigarette in Don Draper's ashtray. The language, the style, and the attention to detail are all impeccable. Season 3 was dark, brooding, and in my humble opinion, the strongest yet.

GLEE: I didn't have time for another new show. I told myself "I'm sure it's good, but I can't get invested in any more television." Yeah, that worked well. And honestly, as a full-fledged high school drama nerd (yes, that includes musical theater and no, I will not sing anything for you), it's pure 'Nerdvana.' Between Jane Lynch's brash wit and Lea Michele's powerful singing chops, this show is bringing it. Glee, you had me at 'Don't Stop Believin'.

COMMUNITY: Another new show, but NBC wedged it perfectly into my Thursday night line-up. The cast is lead by the deprecating Joel McHale (if it wasn't for McHale's other show, The Soup, I'd have no clue how much terrible television is actually out there. I'm looking at you, Wendy Williams and Steven Seagal: Lawman) and includes the refreshing Chevy Chase, whose comedic timing is back where it belongs. The entire cast of fairly unknown actors (Alison Brie makes the list twice, as prudish Annie on this show, and as prudish housewife Trudie on Mad Men) is strong, and the simple premise lends itself to a slew of ideas. I hope Community sticks around for a while, if only for the chance to see Chevy Chase in a Beastmaster costume again.

SUPERNATURAL: As my friends can attest, I'm a glutton for shows on The CW. Well, I used to be. But the premise of the show is basically 'The Hardy Boys meets The X-Files,' so come on, it's almost mandatory for me to watch. What started as a 'freak of the week' premise has evolved into a show teeming with angels, demons, and nothing short of the Apocalypse. It's clever writing (a pulpy author of Supernatural novels turns out to be a prophet of the Lord), its ability to fluctuate between tongue-in-cheek episodes to those of, quite literally, Biblical proportions, and its revolving menagerie of ghouls and creeps make this show a wild ride in a souped-up black Impala.

NOTABLE MENTIONS:

CHUCK: It's fun, nerd spy formula and hilarious writing make it a treat to watch every week. Also, 2009 saw the comeback of not only Chevy Chase (who made a villainous turn on Chuck), it also introduced Chuck's father, the one and only Scott frakkin' Bakula.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: It'd be easy for me to say I watch it for Willow, for Nick Andopolis, or for Doogie. But really, HIMYM is a clever love story that's as much about the journey as it is about the desitnation. The show's ability to tinker with the viewer's expectations makes for some pretty solid writing. Oh, and Doogie's in it.

BOOKS:

2009 was the year of the library. Thanks to that little ol' place filled with free books, I was able to introduce myself to some authors I had not read before. Good thing, too, cuz they were all pretty solid.

HOGDOGGIN' by Anthony Neil Smith: Great noir rumbles along like a freight train, its characters and events leading to a single, inescapable fate. To follow them on that journey is to marvel at their tragedy. Hogdoggin', a sequel of sorts to Smith's Yellow Medicine, is like a gritty game of chess. You don't know where the pieces will end up, but you know it ain't gonna be pretty.

Side Note: I had the opportunity to meet Neil, a swell fella, around Jen's due date. Neil made me promise that if she had the baby that day, I'd name the boy 'Hogdog.' Thankfully for us (and more so for Alex), she waited another day and a half to go into labor.

HEAVEN'S KEEP by William Kent Krueger: The latest installment in Krueger's Cork O'Connor series starts with a plane carrying Cork's wife Jo disappearing into the harsh Wyoming Rockies, sending Cork and his son on a mission in an unknown land. I won't go into too many details, by suffice it to say, Keep is Krueger at his heartbreaking best, a novel unlike any others in the series, a book that fills you with dread and hope at the same time.

THE POET by Michael Connelly: I remember when this came out. In fact, I'm pretty sure I had a copy of it that I never read. Well, in 2009, I finally got around to it, and what the hell was I waiting for!? The story of a Denver reporter (ironic side note, I brought this book along and read it on a trip to Denver without knowing its Rocky Mountain setting) crackles along, and even when I thought I'd figured out the twist (there's always a twist), Mr. Connelly was still two steps ahead of me. I love when I discover a new author who has about twenty or so other books published. It's like panning that first piece of gold.

THE CLEANUP by Sean Doolittle: Just another typical love story: Boy meets girl. Girl accidentally kills abusive boyfriend. Boy helps girl hide the body. Doolittle's novel about a regular guy getting in over his head rips along at a brisk pace, reminding me of classic Hitchcock flicks like North by Northwest and The Man Who Knew Too Much. I'm looking forward to seeing what other tricks Mr. Doolittle has up his sleeve.

UNDER THE DOME by Stephen King: Okay, this isn't totally fair. I haven't actually finished Dome yet, but it's on the list because, by all accounts, if I'd been reading any other book, I would have been done by now. But Dome clocks in at 1027 pages, a monstrous book that's as ambitious as The Stand. Overflowing with characters, Dome is more than just a book about a town with a glass dome surrounding it; it's about the characters that inhabit the town, and how they react to their situation. I was fortunate enough to see King this past November at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. He spoke with author Audrey Niffenegger, a ho-hum Debbie Downer. King was marvelous, though, and if he'd been alone, I think the conversation would have been juicier. Still...pretty frakkin' cool.

NOTABLE MENTIONS:

Like I mentioned earlier, I was able to try a few new authors this past year. Here are a few others I enjoyed:

STALKING SUSAN by Julie Kramer: A fun mystery with a female Minneapolis television reporter as its protagonist. A well-written story filled with interesting characters.

THE FURY by Jason Pinter: The fourth in Pinter's Henry Parker series, this easy to access series follows a young newspaper reporter who always seems to get in over his head.

WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead: A young adult novel about time travel, coming of age, and the $25,000 Pyramid. Yep, you read that right. Elegantly-written and heartbreaking.

Well, that about does it (until I think of something I should of put on this list, slap my forehead in frustration, and then edit the post). I wish you all happy viewing and happy reading in 2010!

Until next time,
B

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2009-12-22T10:55:00.002-06:00

Greetings all! Every December, I am assigned to organize the slew of events, happenings, and skull-duggery that has occurred around our household throughout the year, and to whip up a holiday letter to share with family and friends. This year was obviously quite important, and because of that, I thought I'd post the letter in its entirety here on the site. Thanks to all for an amazing year!

So here we are. Holiday season 2009. As I write this, that pesky fiend Jack Frost has recently nipped at our noses and whipped up the first frenzied snowfall of the season, thus ensuring that we will indeed have a white Christmas. Is it really already time to trim the tree with pop culture ornaments and to watch as Ebeneezer Scrooge (or Bill Murray) goes from ‘Bah Humbug!’ to ‘Merry Christmas!’? 2009 was an amazing year, so before you plug in the plastic Santa perched atop your roof and hang those stockings by the chimney with care, let me fill you in on what’s been happening in the 100 year old house on Thomas Avenue.

Jen is still a woman with unlimited energy, and has effortlessly transitioned into her new role as a mother. For a gal who enjoys her sleep, she had no difficulty (well, on most nights) adapting to a newborn’s schedule. She enjoyed a wonderful ten week leave from her work, spending time snuggling with Alex while yours truly took over in her stead. Finding the delicate balance between work and motherhood was not without its hiccups, but Jen has managed to do it smoothly. As for work, Jen continues to traverse the highways and side streets of the Twin Cities as Minnesota’s Lead Photographer for Chicago-based VHT. She spends her days photographing a wide variety of homes, and her work has been featured numerous times on the cover of Edina Realty’s Exceptional Properties magazine. Always with a camera holstered at her side, she has certainly taken every opportunity to snap shots of the adorable new face in our house, filling many photo albums already. Who knew?!

This past year saw a slight shift in my artistic focus. As the film frontier in Minnesota quieted, I cracked open my security blanket (or laptop, as most people call it) and dug into a variety of writing projects. First came the release of my Jackie Robinson book, Dodger Dreams: The Courage of Jackie Robinson, followed closely by a chapter book for early readers titled Drake Bacula: MonSTAR! Drake was an exciting project as it was a collaboration with my good friend (and talented illustrator) Elizabeth Hurley. Both books are currently available nationwide. As of now, I am putting the finishing touches on another project for local publisher Stone Arch Books, a graphic novel focused on the sport of football. 2009 also saw the release of a number of film projects I worked on. Into Temptation, Dawning, and Midnight Chronicles are all available on DVD, garnering critical praise and festival wins around the country.

So there’s this cute new face in our household, and he very much deserves his own paragraph. Alex is now seven months old. Seven months! I always believed that it was a cheesy cliché to say: ‘They grow up so fast.’ But really, truly, absolutely, they do! It’s hard to fathom that just this past spring, our shiny, brand new baby boy was a tiny, 7 pound 11 ounce bundle. We’ve experienced so many wonderful ‘firsts’ since then, and we have cherished (and laughed…boy have we laughed) every moment. I have been fortunate enough to be able to stay at home with Alex, being a full-time Mr. Mom (and no, Michael Keaton fans, I have yet to fight a washing machine or staple together a blankie). So what tricks does Alex have up his sleeve? Here’s a short list of some of the amazing things he’s been up to:

- He is now the proud owner of not one, but two teeth
- He gets major air in his Johnny-Jump-Up
- He skillfully sits up
- He is becoming quite mobile, rolling and starting to scoot (watch out!)
- He multi-tasks with his toys, often opting to cram one into his mouth while keeping his hands free to play with another
- He loves vegetables, but doesn’t quite feel the same way about fruit. Good thing he doesn’t know that green beans aren’t really breakfast food
- He loves his Exersaucer (or Command Center, as we call it)
- By the time he was three months old, he’d been to three Minnesota Twins games
- He is a frequent customer at The Source (where he picks up comics on a weekly basis)
- He loves the library
- He is not fazed by the large flashing object his mother carries around (as seen in numerous photos)

The term ‘gift’ is thrown around quite a bit this time of year, conjuring images of a brightly wrapped package with a shiny bow on top. But we often forget that the word can mean a great deal of things: happiness, health, family, and friends. We have been given the greatest gift this past year, a smiling, happy baby, and for that, we feel very blessed. So amidst the onslaught of holiday shopping, television stations dedicated to A Christmas Story, and that nostalgic feeling you get when you gaze at the sky on Christmas Eve night, swearing you saw the streak of a sleigh pass overhead, remember that the real gift isn’t the gaudily-wrapped fruitcake, it’s the fruitcake who gave it to you.

We love you all dearly, and wish nothing but happiness to you and your family this holiday season.

All our love,
Brandon, Jen, and Alexander Terrell

'Drake Bacula: MonSTAR!' NOW AVAILABLE!

2009-12-11T17:30:00.008-06:00

Hey everyone! Just in time for the holidays, I have effectively added the option to purchase Drake Bacula: MonSTAR!' to the site! Perfect for early readers, the book follows the adventures of movie star/vampire Drake Bacula as his best friend Sam tries hard to keep the public from finding out about Drake's 'fang-tastic' secret. Toss in a ghost sister, a knight butler, and a skeletal dog who buries his own bones, and you've got a hilarious, spooky (but safe) story.

By clicking the following link, you'll go directly to a Paypal site where you can purchase as many copies of the book that you'd desire (they make great stocking stuffers!).

Here's the link:
Thank you all for your continued interest and support for my work. I hope you check out Drake, and if you do, I hope you like it!

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Happy holidays!
B

GHOST BEEF ACTION

2009-11-21T14:24:00.004-06:00

Hey all! So, November has kind of flown under the radar. Sorry about that. It not like it hasn't been eventful (Alex is working on tooth number two, he's eating real food now - if peas indeed count as real food, we traveled to Colorado and back to celebrate my mother's birthday as a family, and I'm currently working on children's book number three).

Recently, though, our 48 Hour Film Challenge entry, Ghost Beef Sandwich, found its way onto the Interweb, so I thought I'd share it with you. Feels like forever ago that I was blogging about our little flick. So I hope you enjoy it.

A few additions to the list of people whose blogs you should check out:

Thomas Kingsley Troupe: Thomas and I met at Barnes and Noble, where our mutual participation in the aforementioned 48 Hour Film Challenge sparked our conversation (on a side note, we didn't accidentally bump into one another. TKT is married to the older sister of one of my childhood friends. Strange world, huh?). Anyway, TKT not only works in film, but he is also a talented children's book author! So check out his site.

Steve Brezenoff: Steve and I have not officially met, but I noticed a while back he had written books for Stone Arch Books, most notably the series titled Field Trip Mysteries. He's also a St. Paulite and a stay at home dad, much like myself.

Scott Phillips: Yep, the same Scott Phillips who wrote The Ice Harvest. He's a super-cool, talented writer. Follow his blog by clicking here.

All right, everyone. That's what I have for you now. If I don't get back to you before Thanksgiving, have a great Turkey Day!

All the best,
B

BOO!

2009-10-30T15:59:00.004-05:00

Happy Halloween everyone!

Man, this has always been my favorite time of year, and my favorite holiday. I'm sorry Christmas, your intentions are noble and your nostalgia is appreciated, but you don't give me goosebumps or make me wonder if there actually is something under my bed.

I hope your Halloween is spooky and safe.

All the best,
B

HORRORWOOD AT THE HEIGHTS

2009-10-28T22:16:00.005-05:00

There are few theaters in the country that know how to show a film like The Heights Theater in Columbia Heights. Last year, for their Halloween extravaganza, they showed a wonderful print of the classic William Castle film, House on Haunted Hill, starring Vincent Price. They screened the film in something called 'Emergo', a gimmick that had us guessing until, at the pivotal climactic moment in the film, a dangling, illuminated skeleton swung over the crowd from the balcony. Awesome, I know.

Well, this year, the spooktacular film screening is Whatever Happened to Baby Jane with Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. That alone should entice you to come out to see the movie, and to celebrate the greatest of months with the greatest of holidays. In addition to the film, though, Horrorwood artist and compatriot Brent Schoonover and I will be in attendance. We are offering free copies of a single issue of Horrorwood (something to read while munching on pre-film popcorn), and will have copies of the trade, and complete sets of the floppies, for sale before and after.

The show starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are &$8.00.

Hope to see you there!

B

'INTO TEMPTATION' ON DVD

2009-10-26T17:48:00.003-05:00

Hey all! Posts are few and far between right now, and for that, I apologize. Things around here have been running pretty smoothly. Alex has officially cut his first tooth (there were a few long days mixed in there, but it comes with the territory). I excitedly signed a contract to write another book with Stone Arch Books, something I will share more about as I can. And we're planning a trip to Colorado soon to celebrate my mother's birthday by visiting my sister!

But this post is about the Into Temptation DVD, which is set to be released TOMORROW! That's right, as of October 27th, the Minnesota-made flick that had an insanely good run at the Lagoon Theater, along with theaters in Omaha, New York, and beyond, can be yours to own.

If you're an Amazon kinda person, CLICK HERE.

It's also available online at Best Buy and at Target.

Oh, and you can also add it to your Netflix queue.

So fire up the popcorn, and enjoy!

B

FALLCON THIS WEEKEND!

2009-10-07T10:54:00.014-05:00

This weekend is the 21st annual MCBA FallCon Comic Book Celebration! Running from 10am-5pm both Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 10 & 11), the show features a slew of fantastic artists, writers (yeah, myself included), publishers, and retailers. For the second year, the convention will take place in the enormous Grandstand on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul. The new space is wonderful, allowing ample space for comic book fanatics (those dressed as Iron Man, and those not) to converse about comics, art, and the history of Green Lantern.

As always, I will be seated by Horrorwood artist Brent Schoonover, as well as Getchu Books publisher (and Monster Ninjas writer) Ryan Jacobson.

There will be copies of Horrorwood available. As an added incentive, Brent's wonderful wife Nicole is baking up delicious cookies to be given away with the purchase of the graphic novels of either Horrorwood or Brent's other book, the fantastic Astronaut Dad.

But wait! There's more! You guessed it. I will also be selling and signing copies of my new chapter book Drake Bacula: MonSTAR! Lies, Camera, Action!. This will be the first time I have the books available at a convention! I'm looking forward to sharing Drake, the perfect kid's book for my favorite month of the year: October!

In addition to the usual hullabaloo of FallCon, I have been asked for the first time to participate in a writer's panel. The panel, titled 'Writing is Turning One's Worst Moments into Money' will take place on Sunday, from 12-1pm, and is free for anyone visiting the convention. So come see me talk about the craft of writing (and try to keep the heckling down).

Okay, since that's a lot of information thrown at you, I'm going to sum it up for you. Here are the details:

What: MCBA FallCon '09
When: Saturday, October 10 and Sunday October 11
Time: 10AM - 5PM both days
Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St. Paul - Grandstand Building
Admission: Adults are $11.00. Good for both days. $1.00 off with canned food donation. Children 9 & under are FREE

For more info, visit the MCBA's updated website HERE.

Hope to see you all this weekend!
All the best,
B

DRAKE BACULA: MONSTAR!

2009-09-22T20:15:00.006-05:00

Hey everyone!

Say, you know those annoying 'check back soon!' and 'exciting news coming soon!' comments I've posted on this blog? Well, the exciting news has finally arrived, and I can share the reason for those cryptic words.

I have written another children's book! The book, titled Drake Bacula: MonSTAR!, is now available! Published by Getchu Books, the book is illustrated by the talented Elizabeth Hurley.

Wanna know what it's about? Thought so. Here you are:

As Sam Russell knows, it's not easy being Drake Bacula's best friend. Sure, Drake is a movie star, and that'...s cool. But he also has a secret. Drake is a vampire. The problem is that Hawk Hooperstein, the school bully, is going to share that secret with the entire world just as soon as he gets proof. Can Sam stop him? And will he keep Drake's friend Gretchen from learning the truth, too? Or might Sam's lies lead all of them into a dangerous trap? Find out in...'Lies, Camera, Action!'

Drake is a chapter book written for grades K-3.

Cost is: $10.00.

It is available through the publisher, through Amazon, or through the distributor, BCH.

However, the best way to get a copy of the book is to get it straight from the source: yours truly! I will be setting up a way to order books online, and I will gladly sign each copy (personalized, if you'd like!) before sending them out. I will have more information about this when it's available. It's the easiest way to get a hold of your own, personal copy of the book.

Thanks for all of the support, guys. I am so very excited for this book!

Happy reading,
B

WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER SIGNINGS

2009-09-02T11:24:00.003-05:00

Howdy! Been a while since the last post, and this is kind of last minute, so for that I apologize. The author of the fantastic series of Cork O'Connor mysteries, William Kent Krueger, will be signing the latest book in the series, Heaven's Keep, tonight at the best little mystery shop in the world, Once Upon a Crime!

If you're unfamiliar with the books, Krueger's series follows former police chief Cork O'Connor of Aurora, Minnesota. The books perfectly blend the beauty of Northern Minnesota's landscape, the history and culture of the Native Americans living there, and the love of one man for his heritage and family. Keep is the ninth book in the series, and I must say, simply reading the synopsis on Krueger's site broke my heart a little.

So check it out. I've met the author a couple of times, and he is a genuinely nice man. I cannot make it to the signing tonight (which bums me out), but thankfully, tomorrow night, Mr. Krueger is signing at the Barnes and Noble in Roseville. I will, of course, be bringing the copy of Keep that I plan to purchase at Once Upon a Crime this afternoon.

More excitement coming soon, I swear!
B

INTO TEMPTATION IN THEATERS!? UPDATE!!

2009-08-14T12:50:00.014-05:00

Great news to share! The Lagoon Theater in Uptown Minneapolis will host the local, theatrical release for Patrick Coyle's 'Catholic noir' flick Into Temptation. This will be the first time the general public will be able to view the film (which, if you don't know, was shot entirely in the Twin Cities with a group of hard-working, dedicated local cast and crew - including yours truly. The flick stars the uber-talented Jeremy Sisto, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Baumgartner).

The film will be screening from AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3. Check the Lagoon's website for show times.

The DVD will be released nationally on October 26th.

So come out and enjoy a strong, locally-made film. Bring friends. Buy popcorn. It's a great flick that I'm proud to have worked on.

All the best,
B

*UPDATE!!! Due to its popularity, Into Temptation's run at the Lagoon Theater has been EXTENDED! The film will now run until SEPTEMBER 11. So if you haven't checked it out yet, you still have a chance. Screenings have been selling out, so get there early!

**UPDATE UPDATE!! Temptation has been selling extremely well at the Lagoon, and they've extended it through the beginning of October! How crazy cool is that?! So crazy that I'm using my daily allotment of exclamation points!

A SERIOUS TRAILER

2009-07-31T21:52:00.007-05:00

The trailer for the new Coen Brothers film, A Serious Man, has hit the internet. If you didn't know, the film was shot entirely in Minnesota, with a majority of the talent coming from the Cities.

I had the opportunity to work on the film for a handful of days. Many of my days were spent on a small block in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis. The production had skillfully transformed the block into a 1950s neighborhood. They tore up the road and sidewalks, re-sod the entire block, pulled trees from yards (which they replaced once shooting had been completed), and created new facades for many of the ramblers and their garages. Stepping on set was pretty amazing, like being transported back in time (if you disregarded the fifty-plus crew members, camera and lighting gear, and constant stream of nearby traffic, that is).

My additional days were spent at St. Olaf College, during the massive classroom scene (the dream scene with Larry getting his head bashed into the chalkboard) and on Rice Avenue in St. Paul, where we spent the day filming the car crash you see in the trailer.

All in all, I feel very blessed to have worked on such a large project with a group of very talented folks. And it was quite surreal standing near such strong directors as Joel and Ethan, not to mention the talented Roger Deakins.

Enjoy!

*Note: The rabbi's secretary in the film may seem familiar to you. She is none other than the amazing Claudia Wilkins, a Guthrie professional who played the evil Mayor Lesher in Midnight Chronicles.

B

A DODGER DREAM COME TRUE!

2009-07-24T17:22:00.006-05:00

Well, I have some very exciting news to share! My first published book with local children's book publisher Stone Arch Books has been released as part of their new Fall 2009 catalog.

The book, titled Dodger Dreams: The Courage of Jackie Robinson, is part of Stone Arch's Graphic Flash line of books. The books are high-action, dynamic stories that are told in both prose and graphic novel format. They take historic events or important figures and tell a fictional story from a young person's point of view. The concept is fantastic, and when I was offered the opportunity to write a story about the most important person in the history of baseball, I was ecstatic.

Dreams is gorgeously illustrated by the talented Claude St. Aubin, whose work on the book (and on previous Flash titles) is downright amazing.

Here's a plot rundown for the book: Max Owens is New York's biggest baseball fan. On his birthday, Max's grandpa gives him the greatest gift of all: World Series tickets! During the game, Max watches his favorite Brooklyn Dodger, Jackie Robinson, compete against the New York Yankees. But when his team loses, this fourteen year old fan will learn that baseball is more than just a game.

The book is currently available in a couple of locations. The easiest place to find it is at the Stone Arch website. You can find information about it HERE.

It is also on Amazon, and you can find it HERE.

I'm very proud of this book, and am so excited to have worked with a great publisher like Stone Arch.

Thanks, and happy reading!
B

BOOKS I'M EXCITED TO READ

2009-07-23T14:23:00.005-05:00

That's not just a clever, catchy title. This post is truly about a few books in the pipeline that I'm pretty darn excited to pick up and read (as if the massive pile in front of me isn't towering enough).

Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger

Keep is the ninth book in the Cork O'Connor series, and (I believe) the second to last. Krueger is a local author, and I've had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple of occasions. He is a genuinely nice guy, the kind of guy that would be a fine mentor for a young, scrappy author. His books show an authentic affinity toward Native American customs and history, the beauty of the Minnesota landscape, and familial bonds. While they often deal in gruesome reality (the breathtaking finale of his prior book, Red Knife, is a fine example), there is something sincere about his storytelling.

Once Upon A Crime bookstore will be holding a release party for the novel on Wednesday, September 2nd. I've already got it on my calendar.

Once Upon A Crime: An Anthology of Murder, Mayhem, and Suspense Edited by Gary R. Bush and Chris Everheart

Speaking of the fine folks at OUAC, this anthology of stories is something I just came across. Brimming with crime fiction by familiar names like, well, William Kent Krueger and Anthony Neil Smith, the book honors the store that has championed many mystery authors, and its proceeds will go toward assisting the owners with recent medical costs. It's a great way to support local, independent booksellers, while receiving a slew of stories written by great Minnesota authors. It's win-win!

Memory by Donald Westlake

Leave it to the gang at Hard Case Crime to get their hands on the very last manuscript by the late Donald Westlake. Written nearly forty years ago and shelved, Westlake's story follows a man who is the victim of an assault that leaves a peculiar scar: his brain is unable to retain memories, or form new ones. Now, he sets out investigating a missing person's case where he is the missing person.

Memory will be published in January 2010, a fitting tribute to a talented author.

More exciting news coming soon, so check back!
Happy reading!
B

MIDNGHT CHRONICLES: THE LONG AWAITED RELEASE!

2009-07-20T14:47:00.004-05:00

Yep, you read that right. After three years of production, additional shooting, and extensive post-production work, Midnight Chronicles will be released in the United States and Canada.

On August 13th, the film will be available on both DVD and as a digital download (from a number of sources, including iTunes). This fall, the release will expand to include a wide variety of retail sources.

The DVD will be overflowing with extra features, including a director's commentary, deleted scenes, and a making-of featurette.

If you'd like to pre-order a copy of the film, click HERE.

If you have no clue what I mean when I use the words midnight or chronicles, you may want to click HERE.

(You can also scroll down on this very blog and find more info about the international release)

Until next time,
B

48 HOUR RE-CAP, PART THREE: SEVEN MINUTES EARLY

2009-06-30T23:59:00.015-05:00

Previously on the Mental Records blog: Team 7 Minutes Late had escaped from the evil clutches of the sun, completing their filming with mere moments to spare. Now, with the clock ticking, our heroes wage a battle of epic proportions against a slew of footage, in an effort to beat the clock. Will they produce a funny film before time runs out!?

AND NOW, THE THRILLING CONCLUSION!

Yeah, so Sunday didn't start out as slam-bang as that. I leisurely arrived at the Bowmans around 9AM, refreshed, with a 12 pack of Dew on hand, and prepared to finalize the editing with Scott. We had until 7:30PM that evening, and we had a lot to accomplish.

Keith and Jason were off-site, sprinkling their computer wizardry on our handful of FX shots.

A sickly Nicholas (with the assistance of his band, The Map and the Territory) worked from home on our score, the aptly titled tune, 'Hobo Picnic.'

Scott and I began working on the remainder of the rough cut. The film was in a good place, with only a few tricky scenes to edit in their entirety. A good portion of the film was cut together, though, so we were feeling pretty good. Silly us.

Chris arrived, using his extreme allergic reaction to cats as an excuse to sit on the back patio, in the glorious sun-dappled day, to compile our paperwork.

I'd like to say that there were strong disagreements and verbal battles as far as the editing is concerned, but it all went pretty smoothly. As the day wore on, though, we found ourselves glancing at the clock more frequently. Communication with Keith and Jason was tricky, but when we received the first of our FX shots - Dave holding out the sandwich in slo-mo - and proceeded to laugh riotously, we knew we were on the right track.

Morning became afternoon.

Lunch was pretzels and soda. There was no time to waste. Our post-production supervisor, the adorable Jack, was on our ass, eager for the damn film to be finished.

Jason worked tirelessly on the shot of Dave passing through Sam, finally nailing it and then driving his hog over to the Bowmans to assist with sound.

Keith continued to finish the remainder of the shots, completing our title card and end credits.

Nick, the trooper that he is, arrived with a CD of finished music.

TJ, our talented cinematographer, swooped in to sit with Scott for the color correction process.

By four o'clock, after picture had been locked and effects shots added, I found myself bouncing from person to person. Had we crossed our 'T's? Check. Dotted our...lowercase 'i's? Check.

Were we on time? No, dammit.

Six o'clock was nearing. We had told ourselves that six was our stop time, the time we would pull the plug on post and burn our final film. Well, we were just starting sound downstairs (Jason working feverishly on a second laptop), our color correction was not quite finished, and we had not rendered out a final file.

Gulp!

Finally, Jason rushed upstairs with our final sound track. Scott imported it, making sure it synched up.

7 O'CLOCK.

This is always the time when I get extremely, and justifibly, anxious. With Love Me For My Mind, this was the time we found we had exported the incorrect timeline, thus making our film 7 minutes late. Hell, even with Open House, we did not anticipate the export time, and it almost cost us. But Scott assured me he had run the tests, and knew the export time.

So he converted it to standard definition (I know, ugh! More on this in a second) and set up a Quicktime data file to burn.

Jason revved up his hog, ready to Evil Knievel his ass to the drop-off point, if necessary. He had the paperwork in one hand, his helmet in the other (see, remember kids, wear a helmet), and all he needed was a DVD from Scott.

7:10PM

The disc ejected, and Jason shot out of the Bowman's like a bat out of Hades.

That was when we noticed something.

In the transition to standard definition from high definition, the FX shots were, well, affected. Some of them grew stuttery - not jarringly so, but enough to notice. Which brings me to one problem with the whole experience...

I know this is a competition where anyone can participate. I love that fact. Creativity can come from anywhere. And for those teams who are not as experienced with cameras and editing equipment, submitting a film in standard definition is not only the preferred choice, but the only choice. But the festival only accepts standard definition projects, a fact that is detrimental to teams who are experienced, and who have taken the time and expense to shoot their film in high definition. To not offer an alternative is frustrating, considering that each team pays to join, then pays to make their film (and rent equipment, in most cases), and then pays to come see their film screen. So the fact that the film on the big screen is not entirely representative of the hard work and effort displayed by a particular team is depressing.

Okay, okay, rant over. Stepping down from the soapbox.

We prepped a second version, a back-up version of our film, on DV tape. Jason was to wait until the last possible moment to submit, in an effort to correct our stuttery FX shots with a different entry.

I started my car. Set the GPS. Knew where I was going and when I would arrive.

Then saw Scott with his head on his desk.

Apparently, the DV transfer was creating black frames between certain edits, so he pulled the plug. We would only submit one copy. The stuttery copy.

Jason called from the drop-off point. We were in.

The film was submitted at 7:23PM.

SEVEN. MINUTES. EARLY.

I kid you not.

And that, my friends, is the long-winded behind the scenes story about the making of...

FINAL THOUGHTS: The film screened well. We got laughs in the right places. It was a strong entry. Sadly, though, it did not win the 'Audience Award' for its night, and was not asked to screen as part of the 'Best Of Minneapolis.' Oh well. There were some strong films this year. Do I think ours is as good or possibly better than some I have seen? Yes. Of course, I'm biased. We did receive a nomination for both 'Best Director' and 'Best Editing', so we have that going for us. Did the 48 Hour Film Festival showrunners inform us of our nominations? Nope. We learned that after the fact. The experience has made us a little disillusioned toward the whole process, and we have decided that in the end, we just need to make a film on our own terms, without having to cram a stilted line of dialogue into the film, or have our sound guy driving so fast that, were his motorcycle equipped with a flux capacitor, he'd be playing Johnny Be Goode at the 'Enchantment Under the Sea' dance.

Thanks to the entire cast and crew. It was a pleasure to work with all of you, and I'd gladly do it again. Whether or not you feel the same way remains to be seen.

And thanks to you, Occasional Reader, for indulging me. I will now return to my regularly scheduled blogging.

*If you haven't seen 'Ghost Beef Sandwich,' I will post the film as soon as I can.*

48 HOUR RE-CAP, PART TWO: DEEP NOW, FROM THE DIAPHRAGM

2009-06-29T17:25:00.032-05:00

Saturday we were greeted by sunshine. Thank God. In previous years, the weather for the 48 was often rainy or uncertain. Chirping birds and cloudless skies were something different and new. And very welcome, considering half of our film took place outdoors.

As the crew assembled at 7AM, I stared at the giant orb in the sky and knew already that it was going to be our greatest enemy. As crew were assigned their various corners of the Bowman home, joyfully sipping their coffee, I pictured us at the end of the day, frantically cursing and hurrying to get shots.

We started our day inside (another fact that left me a little nervous). After picking out Rich's suit - an inspired, striped outfit that happily reminded me of Al Calavicci from Quantum Leap) - and Sam's lime sherbet polo, we prepared to shoot the kitchen scene with Emily.

The scene went well, and is probably the funniest in the flick. Emily, the true sport that she was, had Sam and his bagel breath moaning in her ear and kept a straight face...most of the time. Though I'm pretty sure Sam was the one who broke character first.

* Side note: Let's take a minute to revel at the glory of Sam's mustache. Sure, we had to add a little color to it to make it pop on camera, but boy, ain't that a pretty sight?

Sorry, back to it. Next up was Charlie Gerber and the run-through. They always say, never work with kids or animals. I don't see why not. Charlie nailed it. He yipped loudly at the perfect moment, and hit his mark every time. We followed Charlie's professional performance by using fishing line to yank a picture frame off an end table, taking hunks of the Bowman's living room wall with us each take. Whoops.

Visitors arrived. Jen, Alex, Liz, and Gwyn stopped by for a little glimpse into our craziness, and offered a little bit of sanity in return. Of course, Alex just slept through the whole thing.

Lunch was creeping up on us, the sun reaching its highest point, and beginning its evil afternoon descent. It was around this time that Chris Gerber approached me with this fact:

"Brandon, the neighbors are setting up a tent out front. And they just brought out seven big bags of ice."

Perfect. A birthday party outside, right next to our exterior action. A quick glance outside confirmed this, as well as showing the active neighbor zipping around on his riding lawn mower. I thought back to the peaceful, early morning, with its perfect light and quiet atmosphere. Sigh...

The last scene before lunch was the one I affectionately refer to as "The Ellipse Scene." It was the only scene not written out in the script, noted only by three lonely dots. This was the bit that sent Sam over the edge, the act that forces him to throw his hands up at Rich and tell him off. So what did we come up with? Why, pushing a little girl down the steps! It was a nice bit, lacking a little in the coherency department (the fact that the steps are not perfectly noticeable in the scene is a sticking point), but it got the job done.

And it got us to lunch.

And outside.

Finally.

I like to think that I'm a pretty easy going guy to work with, but every so often I put my foot down and become quite adamant about a particular aspect of the film. Once, it was about punching a cow (another story for another post), but with this film, it was about the sandwich. Sure, we had stuff to make a sandwich, but this was our prop. This sandwich had to be big. It had to be loaded. It had to be so thick that it could kill a man.

So we made a grocery run, and concocted the heartiest dagwood we could. As the sandwich was being constructed, our sandwich 'expert' Kevin Schnabel (the patient and talented Dave Tufford) was being gussied up in his smock and hat, and a makeshift white background was being built in the Bowman garage.

The sun was getting lower. And we still had to shoot all of our exterior shots. Crap.

After nailing the slo-mo flashback shot, we moved outside, to Sam and Rich's exit and Dave's entrance. It was here that we shot our first effects shot, Dave walking through Sam. In order to accomplish this feat, we locked down the camera, shot a plate of Sam reacting to Dave walking through him, then shot Dave walking past the camera and into the house. Easy as pie. Let the FX boys worry about it in post.

We hustled into the street, loading up the dolly for the walking shots of Sam and Rich. The guys were exhausted at this point, but were troopers. The sun beat down on them as they walked the mean streets of Fridley.

It was around this time that our buddy Todd arrived, right when we needed a vehicle to pass through a frightened Sam. Again, we locked down our camera, shot Sam stumbling into the street and screaming like a girl, followed by Todd blazing past in his mini-van. Perfect!

Two hours of daylight and two park scenes to go.

We rushed to a nearby park, quickly spreading out Sam's picnic blanket and uncorking a bottle of crisp Pinot Grigio. The sun was getting close to the horizon, and we were chasing the light. I recalled the image from that morning, of us cursing and screaming as the light disappeared. We weren't there yet, but we were close.

We shot Sam and Rich meeting, and shot the locked-off plate of Sam laying on the blanket dead, followed by his rising up and meeting his AAO for the first time.

With this in the can, we wrapped Rich. Phew! Almost there.

Sam proceeded to give us a mountain of footage of him preparing eating and choking on the fat roast beef sandwich. Delicious!

Last up was our credit shot. Chris Gerber, dressed as a hobo, sat next to Sam's corpse on the blanket. He had himself a nice little picnic, swigging straight from the bottle and munching on the rest of the 'Ghost Beef Sandwich!'

At 8:45PM, with the sun slipping behind the trees, we yelled out triumphantly, "That's a wrap!"

Celebratory beer and pizza followed at the Bowmans. The rough cut was already coming together nicely (nearly three minutes were already complete), but we had a long road ahead of us.

For a moment, though, it felt good.

To be concluded,
B

48 HOUR RE-CAP, PART ONE: GHOST MOVIE? AGAIN?!

2009-06-20T12:18:00.011-05:00

Friday night's festivities began suddenly. Before our motley gang of film fiends had even convened at MCAD (the usual location for our 48 Hour Brain Trust, a place where harsh lights, a room with no windows, and a giant white board keeps us focused and not distracted by shiny objects), our film genre had been picked from the Sorting Hat.

"Musical or Western," Keith told me.

"You gotta be kidding me," I answered.

Okay, so I'm getting ahead of myself. First, for those unfamiliar, I should explain exactly what the 48 Hour Film Project is, and how the weekend works. On Friday night, a team member from each of the eighty-some teams draws a genre out of a hat. Then, three particular film elements are given, items that every team must incorporate into their film in some way, shape, or form. You then proceed to conceive, write, shoot, and edit a short film no longer than seven minutes long.

The items this year were:
Character: Kevin or Kathleen Schnabel (profession, Expert)
Prop: A sandwich
Line of Dialogue: "I hope they decide soon."

You see, this was the third time our team had participated in the competition. The first year, our science fiction gem Love Me For My Mind was turned in to the judges late. Seven minutes late, to be exact. I know. Tell me about it.

The next year, we changed our team name to 7 Minutes Late (the chip on our shoulder was mighty hefty), and we drew the genre 'Ghost Movie.' The end product that time was the film Open House, about a realtor selling a home that just happens to be occupied by the former owner's ghost. The film took home a couple of awards, which felt good. If you haven't seen the flick, here it is. If you wanna give it a look see, I'll wait for you. I've got time...

All right, welcome back. Hope you liked the film. So where was I? Oh yeah, we were arriving at MCAD with news that we were either going to take 'Musical/Western' as our genre, or we were going to discard it and take the 'Wild Card' option. It's risky, because once you ditch your original genre, you must take the 'Wild Card' option they give you. We all agreed that even though we would love to create a musical, or a Gary Cooper style stand-off, time was not on our side for either. The smart choice was to spin the wheel and take our chances with 'Wild Card.'

So, with Jason (our team's representative at the kick off) on the phone, we found out which genre we would have.

Keith heard it announced over the phone. We all stared at him as he incredulously said, "It's 'Ghost Movie,' isn't it?"

Yep. It was. 'Ghost Movie.' AGAIN!

What are the odds?! No seriously, I want someone to figure them out.

The next few hours were spent throwing out ideas and seeing which had any merit, and which ones were not worth pursuing. Our first idea? One word.

Sequel. Open House 2: Open Wider

We had many of the same actors, including our three leads. It seemed plausible. Until we started to realize that most of the humor would be entirely reliant on the fact that the viewer would have had to have seen Open House to know what the dickens is going on.

So, sequel was out. What else?

We entertained many ideas, from a haunted sandwich to ghost cops (this one even had a theme song: "Ghost cops! They're cops and they're ghosts!"). By midnight, our brains were fried, our ideas were thin, and our nerves were on edge. We were running on soda, Doritos, and pretzels.

And that was when inspiration struck.

And so, after cracking open fresh cans of caffeine, we scribbled down notes, plot points, and funny dialogue until the white board was filled. We called actors, we organized locations (the beauty was that much of our film would take place in or around producer Scott Bowman's home. The fact that Scott was editing the flick there as well was gravy), and I flipped open the laptop and starting writing the script.

Around 2AM, we transferred the camera and lighting gear to Scott's garage. Our group dispersed, and from Scott's basement, he and I put the finishing touches on the script.

I laid my head down on the couch around 4:30AM, and to the sounds of birds beginning to chirp outside, I rested until just before our 7AM call time.

To be continued,
B

48 HOUR FILM UPDATE COMING SOON

2009-06-18T08:08:00.006-05:00

So, I want to dig into the experience of making this year's 48 Hour Film Project film, Ghost Beef Sandwich. Right now, though, I unfortunately only have a moment to share the down and dirty details.

I will let you all know when the film premieres:

Monday, June 22nd
7PM
Riverview Theater

From each screening of 12 films, one film is chosen by the audience as the 'Audience Award.' These films, and a select few others, move on the Best of Minneapolis screening later in the week. So it's important to drum up as much support as possible for your film.

Find out more about the festival by clicking HERE, and directions to the theater by clicking HERE.

Thanks!
B

DAWNING TO PREMIERE AT SOLSTICE FILM FESTIVAL

2009-06-18T00:13:00.005-05:00

Greetings! When you hear the term 'lake cabin', most of you conjure images of a relaxing respite, where a cold beer and a good book are both relished on the end of a sun-drenched dock. Sounds pretty spectacular, eh? (well, unless the book is 'The DaVinci Code' or a Danielle Steele gem).

For me, the term 'lake cabin' also inspires another image. I picture a dozen sweaty, exhausted crew members working (basically) around the clock to create a gripping, intense flick. I picture actors dabbled with fake blood, an over-turned car in the pouring rain, and a man named Johnny Whynot (seriously. That was his name) toothlessly grinning and saying, "I'll flip that car for ya. Jus' get me a helmet."

The final product of this gruelling filmmaking experience is, of course, Dawning, Gregg Holtgrewe's flick about a fractured family taken hostage by a crazed man at their lake cabin, a man who insists that something is out there. Something that's coming for them.

Dawning has received a large amount of praise, and was most recently featured at Scotland's Dead by Dawn 2009 Film Festival.

This Friday, June 19th, at 8:00PM, Dawning premieres right here in Minneapolis, as part of the annual Solstice Film Festival. If you're interested in a new twist on a tired genre, come check it out.

The film is screening at the Suburban World Theater in Uptown Minneapolis.

Here's the trailer, to entice you...

New Dawning Trailer - Gregg and Tyler Cut from Gregg Holtgrewe on Vimeo.

Until next time,
B

MIDNIGHT DVD NEWS: THE SHADOW FALLS OVERSEAS

2009-06-09T23:00:00.009-05:00

Hard to believe that it's been three years since the gates of Blackweir were assembled on rural Wisconsin farmland, since truckloads of Styrofoam were transformed into faux-stone, and since a small and dedicated crew of (mostly) film newbies spent beautiful summer days in the sweltering heat of a tin warehouse with cottages on wheels, grotesque orcs, and a whole lot of dirt.

Filming Midnight Chronicles was a surreal and amazing experience. I was fortunate enough to work alongside some very good friends, and yeah, the days were long, but when you're laughing most of the time, it doesn't matter that it's 3AM and you're still inhaling 'atmosphere.'

Well, the fruits of Fantasy Flight Games' labors are finally paying off. Monday marked the international release of Midnight Chronicles. The film is now available in both France and the United Kingdom.

The near future will certainly bring with it a US and Canadian release, so hopefully soon, I'll be able to post more information regarding that. Until then, you'll have to settle with me re-posting the trailer for the flick.

B

THE LITERARY ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER MARTIN

2009-06-04T21:35:00.009-05:00

Some kids start with Dr. Seuss. Some with Mother Goose. In his nearly three weeks of life, Alex has been enjoying a variety of different books. Here are just a few of the things we've been reading.

We started with a little bit of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

We were then introduced to such super-villains as The Chameleon, Electro, and Man-Wolf with The Essential Amazing Spider-Man Volume 9 (thanks, Uncle Brent!).

Here we are practicing our various accents whilst enjoying a little Jack of Fables.

And finally, we cracked open the pages of Anthony Neil Smith's book Hogdoggin'. Alex is a big Steel God fan.

What other adventures will we take? Who knows. Tonight we read a couple of chapters of Kiss Me Deadly by Mickey Spillaine. Alex was riveted.

Until next time,
B

TRAILER? I HARDLY KNOW HER!

2009-05-26T23:30:00.004-05:00

So this past week has been pretty surreal. It's been one heck of a whirlwind. Alex is at home, and we're all getting into a nice little groove. We seriously just sit and stare at him sometimes. It's a wonder anything ever gets done when there's a baby around.

Anyway, the trailer for Into Temptation, Patrick Coyle's Catholic noir flick, is finally up and online. The flick recently screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival, where our lead, Jeremy Sisto, took home the Best Actor honor. Enjoy.

And since I can't really resist, here's another photo of Alexander.

Note: This photo in no way represents Alex's opinions on the film.

More soon,
B

ALEXANDER MARTIN TERRELL

2009-05-20T16:09:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone! Man, what a crazy couple of days. It all started Sunday night, at around 12:30AM. I was laying in bed, next to my 'two days overdue' wife. I was just closing my book (The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, for those who need specifics) when Jen rolled over, grimaced, and said, "Whoa. That doesn't feel right."

An hour later, the contractions were coming pretty quickly. We finally came to the conclusion that our son was not going to let us sleep that night. We rushed to the hospital (Regions in St. Paul, a straight shot down University from our house. The location came in handy for a bleary-eyed father to be had driving there at 1:30AM).

The amazing staff set us up in a room, and with the guidance of two kick ass nurses, we went through nearly nine hours of labor. At 10:49AM on Monday, May 18th, Alexander Martin Terrell was finally born.

Alex is a tiny little fella (7lbs. 11.8 oz. and 20in. long) with a shock of blonde hair and long feet. We are now officially home from the hospital, and Alex is settling in to home life. We were very fortunate through the entire pregnancy, and are extremely blessed to have family and friends who are as excited as we are about our new addition.

So get ready for more baby photos on the blog, in addition to project updates. And thank you all for your love and support.

All the best,
B

HOGDOGGIN' REPORT!

2009-05-17T15:57:00.003-05:00

So I made a bet, and thank Christ I don't have to pay up. Upon walking into Once Upon a Crime yesterday, and shaking Anthony Neil Smith's hand, he promptly told me, "You know, if your wife gives birth today, you have to name the baby Hogdog."

Well, bullet dodged! Phew! We are still in a holding pattern over here, as the stubborn offspring has decided he's not quite ready to leave his snug home yet.

As for the signing...Well, first off, let me say, if you live in the Twin Cities, and have yet to set foot in Crime's cozy, basement location, shame on you. They are the most cordial, knowledgeable folks around. So do yourself a favor and shop there, dammit.

And while you're there, pick up Anthony Neil Smith's books. Neil's a genuinely nice fella (um, I mean he's a growling, frightening badass, with a rep to preserve). We had a chance to chat for a while, and I walked out with a kick-ass, signed copy of Hogdoggin'.

So a big thanks to Neil for taking the time to talk, and for the photo. Everyone go buy the book (you can pick up early, signed copies at Once Upon a Crime, naturally) and make it a scorching success.

B

HOGDOGGIN' IT TOMORROW

2009-05-16T00:00:00.005-05:00

Quick post tonight. Tomorrow, the cool cats at Once Upon a Crime are hosting a book signing for Anthony Neil Smith's new book, Hogdoggin'. The book is a pseudo-sequel to Smith's dirty gem Yellow Medicine (which I read and loved. You can read my thoughts on the book HERE). I'm pretty damned stoked to pick this up. I'll post a run-down of the signing afterwards.

That is, of course, unless a certain child decides tomorrow would be a great time to finally meet everyone who have been asking about his arrival. We'll see, I suppose. Today was the official due date and, aside from a few sporadic contractions, he's still pretty cozy where he's at.

B

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...?

2009-05-13T23:54:00.007-05:00

Every so often, you come across something you haven't seen or thought about in ages, and a wave of nostalgia floods over you. You remember a specific moment, a place, a smell. It reminds you of something your gray matter has decided to set aside in place of other information - long division, or the original cast of Charles in Charge for example.

Recently, three books I've re-discovered have had that effect on me. Wandering the shelves of Barnes and Noble, in the children's section, I found a few gems I had forgotten about.

Night of the Twisters by Ivy Ruckman:

Growing up in the Midwest, tornadoes are a common fear. I've seen firsthand their destruction, traversing fields of farmland in search of twisted pieces of metal that were once secured to my grandparents' farm. Yet there's something alluring about stormy weather, too, something about lightning and dark skies and listening to the radio as sirens wail their warning and rain pelts the hot asphalt. Night was the first book I read that I immediately identified with. It didn't matter that the action took place in Nebraska. The town in the book was my hometown of Eagle Lake. The main character, roughly my age, was me. I was the hero of the story.

Bunnicula by James and Deborah Howe:

In second grade, I had a student teacher. Her name escapes me now (replaced, most likely, by the lyrics to Ice Ice Baby). But one thing I distinctly recall was her enthusiastic reading of Bunnicula to the class. It was one of the first times I discovered the relationship between horror and humor. And come on, a bunny that sucks carrots dry? Genius!

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop:

This is the purest example of what I mentioned above. I don't remember too much about the book itself (tiny knights defending a toy castle in a young boy's attic), but it reminds me fondly of my old bed growing up. I had a raised bed, with two drawers built into the frame. One day, I discovered that by sliding out the bottom drawer, I could slither under the bed. By replacing the drawer after me, my location was hidden from everyone. There was enough space under there for me to sit and read, and a strategically placed outlet provided the perfect spot for a life-saving (or eyesight-saving) night light. Castle was one of the many books I read in my Fortress of Solitude. And I had forgotten about it completely under I saw the cover on the book store shelf.

So that's my trip down memory lane. My posts have been sporadic (life, and impending fatherhood, are getting in the way). I'm trying mightily to post, and there are things to share. So check back!

B

MS WALK THIS SUNDAY

2009-04-29T17:23:00.007-05:00

For five years, my cousin Chad has been bravely battling Multiple Sclerosis. Through many trials and setbacks, he has retained his sense of humor, and deep love for his family and friends. This Sunday (May 3rd), myself and many of my family members, will be walking to support Chad in his fight against MS. It is just one small thing I can do to help him with his journey.

You can donate in my name by clicking on the following LINK. I know we live in very difficult times, and many of us are hard pressed for money. A donation of any size is greatly appreciated.

To learn more about the MS Society, click HERE.

To learn more about the Minnesota chapter, and the walk itself, click HERE.

Thank you all!

On a lighter note, last week's MicroCon was a rousing success. Brent Schoonover and I created the cleverly titled 'Horrorwood Stimulus Package', selling the single issues of the book for a discounted rate. Anything we can do to entertain readers whose pockets are a little more empty nowadays. The weather was trying its hardest to hamper our good mood (moments after arriving to set up our table, the sky opened and it poured), but the lines outside were steady, and the convention was busy all day long. Not too shabby.

This photo was taken by Michael May. Apparently, we really like Doritos.

So thank you to everyone who popped over to our table and gave Horrorwood a shot. We hope you were entertained.

Oh, and remember how I said Superman would be there? Well, Iron Man himself decided to fly the ole Mach 1 past our table! Take that, Man of Steel!

All the best,
B

CONVENTION TIME!

2009-04-22T17:22:00.005-05:00

Hey gang! I feel like every time I begin writing a post, I have to start by apologizing. Apparently, I'm not doing a very good job of retaining a captivated audience.

This weekend, the fine folks at the MCBA are throwing a little shindig called MicroCon. I have had the honor of being a guest at MicroCon since before Horrorwood's release, and will once more be sitting side by side with its co-creator and illustrator Brent Schoonover. MicroCon is a great chance to check out some talented local guys and gals, and to support their creative endeavors. Who knows? You may even see Superman there!

So come on down to the Progress Center building on the State Fairgrounds. The show runs Sunday, April 26th from 10AM - 4PM. Belinda's forecast hints at a little precipitation on Sunday, so what better way to spend a gloomy day than with a gaggle of comic book fans!

For more info on MicroCon, check out the mini-site HERE.

Until next time (soon, I promise),
B

WHY'D IT HAVE TO BE SNAKES?!

2009-03-23T17:07:00.003-05:00

I'm not a snake guy. Never have been. And I'm pretty sure I have Raiders of the Lost Ark to blame. I'm cool with that. I feel the same way about bugs (thanks, Temple of Doom). Come to think of it, Indiana Jones' phobias really did a number on me. Damn you, Spielberg!

Now, while I may not adore cuddly reptilians, there are a number of folks who do. They're called 'Herpers'. My friend and 13 Hours director Dav Kaufman is one, and he recently completed a documentary on the subject, aptly titled Herpers. The doc features interviews with reptile lovers and collectors around the country, including G 'n R guitar legend Slash. Pretty sweet.

Check out their new website HERE. You can watch the trailer, learn more info about herpers, and pre-order the DVD.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to save Sean Connery from a tank.

B

GEEK CRED!

2009-03-10T15:55:00.005-05:00

I've never been a Star Trek fan. In the grand 'Wars/Trek' debate, I side with Star Wars every time. For a summer, my friend Todd tried to convert me, convincing me to join him in watching Jean Luc Picard flex his sweaty muscles in First Contact and watching as he spent his entire high school graduation money on Star Trek books. It didn't work.

Well, I think J.J. Abrams has done what Todd could never do. I'm more excited about this movie than I have been about any other flick this year. Here's the most recent trailer.

Now, if Todd had created Lost...

READ THIS!! TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN

2009-03-09T17:58:00.000-05:00

Damn! Two books reviews in a row? What's up with that?

Every so often, I’ve had ‘The Dream.’ No, not the dream of flying. Or of being kidnapped by aliens. Or even the one where I’m one of the Hardy Boys and I’ve been dropped into the middle of Jurassic Park and have to fight my way out with a lightsaber. I’m talking about...'The High School' dream.

You know, those bizarre dreams where you're back in the angst-ridden halls of high school, and you can’t remember your locker combo, or where your next class is, or why the principal suddenly suggests having a Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat revival show in the gymnasium with the original cast, and no one remembers the lyrics. Those dreams.

In Too Cool to be Forgotten, Andy Wicks is a forty-something year old trying to kick his addiction to cigarettes. He’s tried it all: patches, gum, cold turkey, etc. Finally, he goes in for a little hypnosis. There’s a little side effect, however, and before Andy knows it, he’s suddenly back in high school, circa 1985, complete with braces, glasses, and a full head of hair. Andy soon realizes his arrival coincides with his first attempt at smoking (to impress a girl, natch), and vows not to cave in to peer pressure.

So begins Andy’s days back in high school, remembering old friends, old crushes, and the occasional ‘Randi Whatshername.’ It’s a hilarious notion, considering the popularity of Facebook, where friend requests come from old classmates who you didn’t even really speak to in high school, but can’t help re-connecting with out of curiosity. “Whatever happened to Randi Whatshername anyway?” you ask. By accepting her friend request, you can see what her ‘status’ is anytime you want!

The notion at the heart of Too Cool is, of course, the idea that each small action forms a person into who they will ultimately become. Will abstaining from that cigarette, that one time, change Andy’s future? It’s hard to say. And haven’t we all faced that question. What if I had kissed that girl at the prom? What if I had decked that guy in the face for making fun of Randi Whatshername? What if I hadn’t dressed up in KISS make-up?

At one point, facing the possibility of re-living his formative years over again, Andy panics, wondering if he will have to endure the heartbreaks and agonizing choices he faced in his life, and whether they will lead him back to his wife and children. It’s a heartbreaking notion. I mean, the guy just wanted to kick a little nicotine.

Like all good episodes of Quantum Leap (yeah, I said it), Andy's assumption about his actual purpose in 1985 is misleading. The ending (no spoilers here) is a bit convenient, as Andy comes to a sudden realization about his family. Given my own life experiences, though, I felt a personal connection to the ending, and to its heartfelt, tender, and poignant moments.

Too Cool was my introduction to author and artist Alex Robinson’s work (which includes the graphic novels Tricked and Box Office Poison). It’s a unique book that reminds you what it was like to be in the war zone of high school, and how your choices define you. It does not, however, remind you about your locker combination.

Oh, and kids? Don’t smoke. It’ll kill ya.

READ THIS!! THE GOOD GUY

2009-02-26T16:23:00.007-06:00

'"Are you him?" the stranger asked.
Tim said, "Who else would I be?"
"You look so...ordinary."
"I work at it," Tim assured him.
The stranger finally picked up his drink. Getting it to his lips, he slopped beer on the bar, then chugged half the contents of the glass.
Sliding the manila envelope across the bar, the guy said, "Half of it's there. Ten thousand. The rest when she's gone."
As he finished speaking, the stranger turned on his stool, got to his feet, and headed toward the door.
As Tim was about to call the man back, the terrible meaning of those eleven words clarified for him: Half of it's there. Ten thousand. The rest when she's gone.'

The Good Guy is the story of Tim Carrier, a lumbering mason who wants nothing more than to quietly go about his day, and to enjoy a cold beer with friends. In a twist straight out of the Hitchcock playbook, Tim, sitting in his usual spot at the dive bar owned by his friend, is mistaken for a contract killer. He is given a folder containing info on the intended victim, and a ten thousand dollar advance. Befuddled, Tim watches the man exit, and is still in shock when, moments later, the actual killer arrives. Tim calls him off, pays him to not complete his mission, and follows him outside to discover the killer may very well be a cop!

Shrugging off his passive nature, Tim does what any good guy would: he searches out the victim, informs her that she’s in danger, and helps her escape. The added bonus? Tim has as many layers as an onion, and as they stay one step ahead of the killer, he slowly reveals that there’s more to him than just a way with bricks. Oh, and he’s also smitten with the stunning novelist he’s protecting.

The Good Guy is one of those crackling page-turning pot boilers, perfect for reading on a plane or the beach. Indeed, that’s exactly where I read the book, on a recent excursion to Naples. It isn’t heady; it’s not meant to be. Koontz has a knack with peppy dialogue, though it can get a little over the top. And as far as psychopaths go, the villain, known mainly as ‘Krait’ has the usual, yawn-inducing quirks of a killer. Sure, killing someone isn’t quirky enough. He’s gotta be over the top. But he can also display charm, too, as evidenced in a creepy scene with an innocent older woman who thinks the killer is merely her daughter’s houseguest. With an omniscient government-like facility watching and facilitating his every move, Koontz gives the notion that there is something much larger at stake than the life of one woman.

Koontz’s older novels (Watchers, Twilight Eyes, The Vision, Lightning, even Phantoms - which Affleck was the bomb in, for the record) have more gravitas than many of his newer books. In fact, with similar titles, and similar characters, it’s hard to distinguish one story from the next. And though I used to read his books feverishly (much to the chagrin of some of my friends…you know who you are!) I was getting a bit tired of his work. There are few authors whose books I collect in hardcover, and while Dean was once atop that list, I’ve scaled back a bit, and so I haven’t picked his newest book, Your Heart Belongs to Me, another book with an Alfred twist.

Literary god Stephen King labeled The Good Guy one of his Top Ten Books of 2008, so I knew going in that I was going to get some of the old Koontz back. I like the Hitchcock vibe he’s going with now (surprise!), and though the book’s ending doesn’t shock and amaze, getting there is awful damn fun.

CHANGE OF PLANS

2009-02-24T23:53:00.007-06:00

Good Lord, has it really been over a month? Man, I am one lame fella. Sorry about that. I wish I had a better excuse than 'By the time I think about writing on my blog, my eyes feel like dead weights and I want to faceplant into a pillow.' But that's all I've got. I'll try to do better. The three of you deserve my A-game.

If you're keenly observant, you may have noticed that today should be the third day of principal photography on The Psychosis of Ghosts. Well, as is sometimes the case in the movie biz, the film has been postponed indefinitely. Which is a bummer. We had been corralling some very talented folks to help us out on both the cast and the crew, and I was looking forward to working with them. Alas, that will no longer be the case. If there's a silver lining, it's that I've had time to focus on my own writing. I have a couple of things brewing, stuff that I can't quite discuss, but will post on here as soon as I can. I swear.

A couple of new sites to check out. First, my good friend and pulp aficionado Martin Powell has joined the blogging world. Martin was gracious enough to write a pretty swell introduction to the Horrorwood graphic novel last year. He's tackled such literary giants as Sherlock Holmes, The Spider, Kolchak the Night Stalker, and will soon be able to add Batman and Superman to that list. Martin introduced me to pulp heroes, and while I feel like I'm only dipping a pinky toe into the pool of pulp knowledge, Martin cannonballed in years ago.

You can check out his blog HERE.

Secondly, one of the hush-hush top secret projects I can't discuss (but have in previous posts...) is the book I'm co-authoring with fellow writer and friend Ryan Jacobson. Ryan has been writing children's books for over five years now, and his most recent project was a picture book illustrated by my longtime friend (and talented artist) Liz Hurley. The book is titled Joe Lee and the Boo: Who's Afraid of Monsters?. Check out Ryan's site HERE.

One final note: I was checking out Hard Case Crime's website earlier today, when I excitedly discovered that their November release is going to be another Max Allan Collins 'Quarry' novel. This one, titled Quarry in the Middle looks like another knockout. I read The First Quarry earlier this year, and couldn't put it down. Kick ass.

All right, that's all for tonight. I swear it won't be another month before you hear from me again. We're still friends, right?

All the best,
B

IT FRAKKING STARTS TONIGHT!

2009-01-16T14:38:00.002-06:00

Battlestar. The final episodes. Starting tonight. Holy FRAK!

If you haven't already caught yourself up, HERE's my earlier, nerdier post about the show, including a ten minute re-cap video.

And here's the cast on David Letterman, doing the 'Top Ten Reasons to Watch the New Season of Battlestar Galactica.' (yeah, I know it's old, but come on...it's worth it)

So say we all,
B

ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

2009-01-12T23:58:00.010-06:00

Geez...I, well I am sorry. This is unacceptable behavior on my part. I finally get a couple people rallying behind me, checking my site for updates, wanting to know what's going on in my corner of the Interweb, and then...BAM! The holidays show up, and I disappear off the grid like Sandra Bullock in The Net.

So here's a couple of things that have been rolling around in my brain.

THE BIG NEWS: Well, first off, I would like to proudly take this time to announce that my wife Jen and I had our ultrasound, and it conclusively proved that we are having a BOY this May! We're super excited, and we can't wait until the little man arrives. Well, maybe we can wait a little. We do have to finish the nursery, stockpile diapers, take classes...yeah, there's a reason it takes nine months to have a baby. Preparation.

ANOTHER FLICK: This February and March, I will once more be jumping on board a Dav Kaufman production. Our first film venture together was, as many of you know, the indie horror flick 13 Hours in a Warehouse. The new flick is titled The Psychosis of Ghosts. I'm very excited to work with the crew, many of whom I became friends with on 13 Hours or on Into Temptation. It's going to be a blast. I will try valiantly to update the site while we're shooting, maybe post some stills and a report on the filmmaking process. Or I may choose to sleep. We'll see.

WHAT ARE YOU WRITING?: A good question, indeed. The main reason I've been torn away from this little ol' blog is that I've been writing another children's book. I can't share too much about the project, not yet, but it involves the king of all vampires, Dracula himself! More on this project soon!

DONALD WESTLAKE PASSES AWAY: This actually happened a couple weeks back, but I just wanted to express how sad I was to hear that Westlake had died. This past Christmas, I received the first three 'Parker' novels, written under Westlake's alias, Richard Stark. Another great writer gone. His work will live on, though, thanks to The University of Chicago Press, and Hard Case Crime, who will print Westlake's The Cutie in March (just in time for my birthday).

DOC SAVAGE GOES PULPY: Speaking of HCC, I just saw this evening on their website that next October brings with it the publication of a lost Lester Dent pulp novel, titled Honey In His Mouth. Dent is the creator of Doc Savage, and the umpteen million books he pounded out about the Man of Bronze. I can't wait to read it.

Until next time,
B

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2008-12-24T10:45:00.003-06:00

I hope you all made it on the 'Nice' list this year, and that the jolly fat guy (no, not Rip Taylor) brings you everything on your list!

Happy holidays to you and yours!
B

A STUDY IN SPANDEX

2008-12-18T15:56:00.006-06:00

As you may or may not know, I worship the ground Michael Chabon walks on. A man who crafts words like a painter does brush strokes, Chabon always manages to create vivid imagery and dispense flowery language with ease, like a walking Thesaurus. His Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay has long been considered the best book I've ever read, and it always appears at the top of any favorite book list I concoct (if you're ever looking for a sprawling epic about escapism and comic books, look no further).

"Secret Skin" is an essay The New Yorker ran last March, where Chabon takes the image of a young child tying a red towel around his neck - transforming into a superhero with the simple addition of terrycloth to his attire - and creates a fascinating study on the necessity of superhero costumes, and what they mean to children and comic book idolization.

"One knew, of course, that it was not the red cape any more than it was the boots, the tights, the trunks, or the trademark “S” that gave Superman the ability to fly. That ability derived from the effects of the rays of our yellow sun on Superman’s alien anatomy, which had evolved under the red sun of Krypton. And yet you had only to tie a towel around your shoulders to feel the strange vibratory pulse of flight stirring in the red sun of your heart."

You can read the whole essay HERE.

There's a portion of the essay that speaks about cosplay, or the action of dressing up like a superhero at conventions or public functions. I really only mention it so that I can post this kick-ass photo of Brent and I with 'Thor.'

Until next time,
B

THE LINE MUST BE DRAWN HERE!

2008-12-11T16:12:00.004-06:00

I need a little motivation. Something to get me fired up in the morning, as I plug away at a new project, its deadline speeding towards me both fast and furious (more on this in a later post). Well, I found the perfect motivational video. Much like montages and the 'slow clap' (which makes a cameo here), the motivational speech is a film staple. What follows is a mash-up of forty different speeches in just over two minutes. I know it inspired me. Enjoy!

Until next time,
B

INTO TEMPTATION SCREENING

2008-12-10T16:51:00.006-06:00

Tonight at the Riverview Theater (the same theater I championed for its inexpensive tickets and snacks - including Dots) is the cast and crew screening of Into Temptation, the film I worked on this past summer. I am very proud of this film, and excited that I could help director (and all around great guy) Patrick Coyle share his vision and create an amazing film. Every actor delivered a powerful performance. Jeremy Sisto, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Baumgartner are actors who exemplify what you hope every Hollywood actor is like: professional, humorous, and hard working. The crew worked their tails off, and every day I was in awe of their commitment and work ethic.

I cannot wait to see the final product, and to show the film to the world.

Until next time,
B

EDIT: The film exceeded my already high standards. Everyone involved should be very proud.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...?

2008-12-09T11:37:00.003-06:00

Every so often, I run across a book I used to have in my collection, but for some reason or another, have misplaced. At the library yesterday, I was perusing the shelves when I stumbled on Now You See It by Richard Matheson. Matheson, for those of you unfamiliar, is a horror heavyweight, penning stories like I Am Legend, Duel, and Stir Of Echoes. He was also a driving force behind some of the best Twilight Zone episodes, most notably 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet'.

Now You See It is the story of an elderly, paraplegic magician (yep, you read that right) who has gathered his family and friends for a night of prestidigitation, and of course, murder! Brimming with twists and tricks, the book reads like a William Castle flick, with similarities to the classic House on Haunted Hill.

If you can find a copy, I suggest picking it up. And if it has my name inside it, you better hand it over, sucker!

B

I CAN'T FRAKKIN' WAIT!

2008-12-08T17:08:00.005-06:00

The end of Battlestar Galactica draws near! Good Gods, I love this show. It brings out the complete geek in me. And it's all coming to an end. The final episodes begin on January 16th.

So, as a way to catch up, the SciFi Channel offers this wonderful "Catch The Frak Up" video. It's a comprehensive rundown of what's happened so far (and you get to hear Starbuck use her 'Micro Machine Man' voice).

In other, related news, check out this kick-ass video for the Battlestar Galactica board game. The game is brought to you by Fantasy Flight Games, the same fellas who created Midnight Chronicles. The video was put together entirely by my good friends Keith Hurley and Jason Beaudoin. Enjoy!

Frakkin' awesome!
B

READ DAMMIT!

2008-12-04T17:09:00.014-06:00

One topic I often hear or read about is how to get non-reading adults to pick up a book and dive in. I know I've pondered this perplexing puzzle a time or two myself, and the subject scratched its way to the front of my noggin recently when I read a post by crime writer Dave White. Dave is the author of When One Mans Dies, which just happens to be the book I'm currently devouring. So, with the holidays approaching, and the possibility of stuffing a non-reader's stocking with a paperback gem, what can you do to spread the joy of a good book?

Obviously, giving books as a gift is a good option. I'm always trying to expand my friend's and family's libraries with books I've enjoyed. It gives you a new and interesting topic for discussion, instead of always discussing the latest episode of The Biggest Loser (which was totally lame, by the way!). Does it make them go out and read more titles by that author? Sometimes.

Realizing that used book stores are a treasure trove of cheap entertainment is another way. Personally, I'm one of those nerds who scours every copy of a new book at Barnes and Noble, looking for the best copy before laying down my cash. But over the years, I've realized that books are meant to be read, dog-eared, and loved. A beaten-up book is a sign of affection, a sign that the book has been there and back, and when a good mystery novel can be yours for a couple bucks, why, that's money well spent, my friend. If more people knew how easy (and economically savvy) it was to hit up a nearby used book store, would they become more frequent readers? I'd like to think so.

Editor's note: I totally still nitpick certain books. It's a force of habit, and I couldn't stop if I tried.

Of course, the easiest answer is also the cheapest, and if you know me, well, then maybe you predictably saw this one coming like a lazy change-up: get a friggin' library card! I swear, the library has changed my reading habits like nothing else this past year (this is where Brent, who has been telling me to get a card for years now, will roll his eyes). The library affords you the opportunity to read something you would otherwise opt not to, due to cost. I've read nearly two dozen graphic novels from the library in the past five months, all books I would not necessarily buy, but gladly read because I was given the chance. I just finished reading ten - count 'em, ten - Fables trades in a row, all because they were easily accessible at the library. And the library isn't all dusty tomes and Dewey Decimal Systems. It's an online resource, where you can request books from other libraries and renew books over the Inter-web. So tell those non-readers out there to go grab a library book. It doesn't cost them a dime!

Of course, over the past ten years or so, there's been a resurgence in young readers, thanks in large part to that magical wizard, Harry Potter. That kicks ass. In an MTV, hyperfast world where cartoons cause seizures and video games offer prostitution and cop capping, getting kids to sit on their ass and read is hard. Getting them to read a book that can cause serious foot damage if dropped (the thickest Potter tome, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, clocks in at 870 pages - and roughly five pounds) seems an impossible task. But now, kids are devouring books like the dreamy vampire story Twilight (or Dawson's Crypt, as I've heard it called), and young adult books are selling well. The elusive readers are young boys, of course. Publishers like Stone Arch Books are trying hard to lure in young male readers by offering dynamic action stories about sports, or heroes like Superman and Batman.

As for adult non-readers, the only thing close to the Potter buzz in the past decade was, of course, The Da Vinci Code, a poorly written knock-off of the non-fiction book Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Was Dan Brown our only hope to get Joe Q. Public to hit the book store looking for a good time? Man, I hope not.

Of course, there's always...I shudder to say this...Oprah. I know. I regret it already. But like it or not, she occasionally uses her powers for good, and even though many of her followers sometimes act like lemmings, she has gotten a large amount of people to buy books. So many readers, in fact, that there are whole sections in book stores devoted to her book club. Should there be? Hell no. If someone is only going to the book store to buy a book Oprah told them to, they should have to find it in amongst the many other classic (and most times superior) novels. Personally, I avoided her book club completely, until I heard she selected The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Still, I didn't pick up the book until after her sticker (does she really need a sticker!?) was no longer on the cover.

In the end, this is really a long-winded question with no answer. Would our culture be more enlightened, better versed, and more intellectually superior if we all picked up a book once in a while? I don't know. But if I can keep putting books in people's hands, with the hope that they'll wander the aisles of Barnes and Noble, Half-Priced Books, or their local library, then my work is done.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the book store.
Until next time,
B

CAN YOU SING, DANCE, AND HAVE THE PROPORTIONATE STRENGTH OF A SPIDER?!

2008-12-04T15:32:00.005-06:00

Man, if I only had formal dance training. And voice training. And wasn't embarrassed to crack out the jazz hands.

Click HERE if you're confused.

Your Friendly Neighborhood,
B

13 HOURS IN A BLOCKBUSTER!

2008-12-01T11:17:00.001-06:00

Howdy! Hope all of you out there had a gloriously tryptophan-filled Turkey Day. Just a quick shot of news for now. So this photo is pretty small and crummy (it was snapped on my terribly out of date cell phone camera), but upon visiting my local Blockbuster not too long ago, I discovered a Hot New Release called 13 Hours in a Warehouse (the movie in the middle, if you're trying to figure it out).

Pretty surreal.

More soon,
B

ABC MUST HATE ME.

2008-11-24T17:03:00.001-06:00

I don't know what I did to ABC, but they must not have liked it. The Powers That Be decided I was watching too much television, because they canceled not one, not two, but three shows that I TiVo.

FRIGGIN' THREE!

Eli Stone: meh, I'll get over it pretty quick. The dad from Alias singing Jim Croce can only take you so far.

Dirty Sexy Money: Was I really watching this because I liked it? Or was it because I still needed my Six Feet Under fix? Either way, it was a fun ride. Gotta love that Peter Krause. GAC represent!

Pushing Daisies: By far the most depressing news. I love this show dearly. Imaginative writing. Fantastic storytelling. Compelling characters. Amazing cast. Adjective anything about this damn show. Another case of a cult show not gaining mainstream fans, who would rather watch tripe like 'Celebrities Make Fools Of Themselves'. Reality television killed America's imagination. And shows like Daisies were trying to be smart. Love Lee Pace (check out another canceled gem (and Bryan Fuller creation), Wonderfalls, for more of his brilliance). Anna Friel is a delight to watch. Chi McBride is a detective I can get behind. And Olive. My dear sweet Olive.

What makes Daisies cancellation extra sour is the fact that I met and worked with Miss Olive herself, Kristin Chenoweth, this past summer on Into Temptation. She is everything you'd hope her to be. Funny, charming, adorably short. You just want to put her in your pocket and carry her around. So wonderful.

So ABC, punch me in the gut. Please. Cuz I know your gameplan. You'll soon be trying to cozy right back up to me, with your puppy dog eyes, saying, "You're gonna watch Lost, right? And we have some Scrubs for you."

Sigh. Oh, all right. You win again, network television.

BULLET POINTS

2008-11-18T15:54:00.000-06:00

Howdy! Wow, it's already been a week since my last post. Huh. Well, I guess that's partially a good thing, since it gave you more time to read about Yellow Medicine -- ahem! (That's my oh so subtle way of telling you, once more, to check it out)

The past week was filled with flicks and books, so I figured I would take a little time to write about some of the glorious entertainment I've taken in over the past seven days.

Oh, and there's a mild spoiler alert needed, I guess. Nothing like finding out Vader was Luke's father--oh, you didn't know that?!

MOVIES:

Zack and Miri Make a Porno: The first part of that title, Zack and Miri? Not too bad of a movie. A little on the vulgar side. I mean, am I just getting older, or does the constant use of the words f*#k and c*#k just seem like lazy writing? Regardless, the two main characters are likable, and really, who wouldn't want Elizabeth Banks as a roommate/best friend? But when they get to the Porno part of the title? The film goes down the proverbial tube. Kevin Smith is a talented filmmaker, with an ear for dialogue, but his style of comedy has become sorely dated, and it's high time he made a mature movie about growing up. Come on, Kev, I know you have it in you.

Also, I really don't think he'll ever film anything more powerful than Affleck's proclamation of love in the rain and the hockey arena parking lot fight in Chasing Amy. Sure, they are a product of their time, but damn did they have gravity.

Burn After Reading: Seeing this movie will no doubt bring with it an entirely different blog entry about the cost of the movie theater experience. Jen and I went to the Riverview Theater to see this flick. The Riverview is a local second-run theater where you can splurge on popcorn, soda, and Dots (yep, those fiends again) for a total of SIX DOLLARS. SIX! DOLLARS! I KNOW!

As for the movie, it was vastly different than the Coen's last flick, No Country. But their movies are like pizza, in that even when they're bland, they're still better than most other films. Burn lacked the emotional wallop of their other screwball crime flicks, most notably Fargo. It just felt a little hollow, which, I guess, was partially the point. But damn Richard Jenkins is one helluva fine actor. Love that guy.

By the by, is that not the greatest poster you've seen in a long while?

Quantum of Solace: Let's get it out of the way: I loved it. Daniel Craig is the Bond Ian Fleming wrote about. The movie's a little sparse on plot, and with reason. Bond follows flimsy lead after flimsy lead until he's smack dab in the middle of something far greater than he ever expected. The action scenes are frantic and choppy (thank you, Jason Bourne!), which made it hard to follow. And really, how many vehicles can one guy get into a chase with in two hours running time? Let's count: car, boat, motorcycle, plane... unicycle--okay, I threw that in there. But there was nary a pane of glass unshattered, nor a face unbloodied. Including Bond. Which is what makes the new flicks so good. This is a down and dirty Bond, not the quippy Grandpa Bond of Roger Moore, or the outlandishly horny Bond of Connery. From the minute Craig battered that guy's face with a urinal in the opening scene of Casino Royale, you knew this Bond was different.

Solace felt like the second act of something far bigger. By introducing QUANTUM, a fiendish organization with agents around the globe, the film leads us to believe there is a greater plan. The scene in the opera house, where Bond discovers just how far-stretching QUANTUM's control has become is great. And with villainous names like Greene, Slate, and White, is it only a matter of time before we re-discover a man named Gold? There's a moment in Solace that leads me to believe that could very well be the case.

Death-Defying Acts: We rented this flick, which slipped under my radar. Not too bad, a little ho-hum as far as the storytelling goes. The reason to watch is Guy Pearce as Harry Houdini. I'm a sucker for all things Houdini, and Pearce plays him fantastically.

BOOKS:

Just After Sunset by Stephen King: I wrote about this earlier, and about how I was going to have my nose buried in it as soon as I bought it. Well, I think we may have found the reason this blog hasn't been updated since the day it hit shelves! I'm about half way through, and I just read a powerful story called "The Things They Left Behind". It's about a 9/11 survivor, and while I've balked at reading or viewing much of the pop culture media about that day (because it makes me want to judo chop guys like the capitalizing Toby Keith in the neck), this story hit me hard. It's a delicate reminder of the fragility of life, and about the impact we leave on others after we're gone. More about this book soon, I'm sure.

Fables: Sometime last summer, I discovered this crazy thing. You can go to the library, take books home with you...AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY! How crazy is that?! Well, since that amazing discovery, I've become a library glutton, and have read a slew of books and graphic novels (the insider's way of saying 'comic books'). It's given me a chance to try a series or two I've neglected. Fables is one of those. I'd always see it on the shelf and think, " maybe one day I'll read that book." In the past month and a half, I've plowed through eight of the first ten graphic novels, savoring every panel. Fables is the story about how our childhood fairy tale characters were banished from their world by an evil 'Adversary', only to find a home in New York. They have their own hierarchy - King Cole is the Mayor, Snow White his second in command, and my personal fave, Bigby Wolf (get it? Big B. Wolf!) is the sheriff. It's a wide open canvas to paint old characters in a new light. Great stuff.

All right, well this kind of got a little out of hand. Sorry about that. I guess it makes up for a week's absence, huh?

Thanks for reading...all five of you!
Until next time,
B

READ THIS!! YELLOW MEDICINE

2008-11-11T19:23:00.000-06:00

'...I hated Minnesotans and hated the goddamn wind. The howling started on one end of the house and caught every crack and hole on its way across, a real zombie chorus that made it hard to sleep. Not that I was sleeping. Most nights I drank wine and stared out the windows into my frozen front yard, the twisty dirt driveway cutting through to the tree-lined county highway, until I passed out, trying to pinpoint the moment my life turned to shit.'

About three years ago (give or take), I started digging pulp. Crime novels. Mysteries. Action heroes. If it was hard-boiled, and not an egg, I was interested. My path to Yellow Medicine -- a book that reads like you're going twenty rounds with a prize fighter -- began with the comic book Criminal. An author by the name of Duane Swierczynski (welcome to kindergarten, please spell your last name for the class), a bona fide crime writer himself, wrote a back-up story in the comic. I immediately went to the library and devoured his books. Relished them. I began following his site, where one day he made mention of Yellow Medicine on his blog. Quoted it. Said it took place in Minnesota. Sold.

So there's a round about, Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon explanation for my reading Medicine. Written by Anthony Neil Smith, the man behind the online crimezine Plots With Guns, Medicine is a brutal, sharp book. A book with extremely flawed characters that are believable, and a main character whose soul is as bitter and cold as the Minnesota landscape that surrounds him.

Deputy Billy Lafitte is a Gulfport, Mississippi transplant, a cop who bends the law when it suits his needs. What starts out as a simple favor to Drew, a local psychobilly rocker chick who Billy truly loves, becomes so much more, with decapitated bodies, a haunting figure from Billy's past, and what may or may not be Islamic terrorists. In Minnesota. In rural Minnesota.

Nothing quite turns out the way you expect it to, and no punches are pulled. Billy is not the hero of an action film or book, and he knows it; he is real, and thus the explosions, the gunfire, and the loss of human life feel real.

And it all ends in a perfectly ambiguous moment. So pick it up. You won't be sorry. Oh, and for a little about Smith and his own transition to the frozen tundra of Minnesota, check out this interview with Pulp Pusher.

Until next time,
B

TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS AFTER SUNSET!

2008-11-10T15:04:00.000-06:00

Along my new found crusade of exposure, I came to another startling realization: I did not have a business card. Comic conventions, film shoots, wrap and release parties...at all of these functions, people passed around cards with the promise of future work, like Patrick Bateman and his friends comparing serif fonts and shades of white. But not I! This poor soul was out of the proverbial loop.

No more! My good friend, the Talented Eric Manske (who's nothing like the Talented Mr. Ripley...two pop culture references!) designed these fantastic new cards, which are in the mail en route to my house as I type this. Well, here's a sneak peek:

*Oh, and there actually is a phone number on the card. I left it out for obvious reasons. You know, the Mob.

If you haven't checked out "Wrong Address", the short story from the previous post, well, get to readin'! It's right there, able to download, print out, read in the--ahem--living room. All it takes is one click. Maybe two. I didn't really count.

In a double shot of blog, I also wanted to point out that tomorrow marks the release of Just After Sunset, the first Stephen King short story collection in six years. I'll be one of the first to pick this badboy up, and will undoubtedly have my nose buried in it for days to come! No one messes with the King!

Happy reading!
B

SHORT FICTION: WRONG ADDRESS

2008-11-07T11:42:00.000-06:00

'I’m pretty sure the package wasn’t for me. The UPS guy had just dropped it off, a small box wrapped in butcher’s paper without a return address. With a finger inside. Female from the look of it.'

So begins the first short story I've written in a while. I will be trying to post original fiction on this site from time to time. All of the work can be accessed on the side bar, but when something new is posted, I'll be sure to make an exciting new entry.

"Wrong Address" can be read HERE!

*Note: there's a wee bit of harsh language and violence, and by 'wee bit' I mean copious amounts, so try not to read it as a bedtime story to the kiddies!

Enjoy, and feel free to let me know what you think.

Have a great weekend!
B

THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CRICHTON

2008-11-06T23:30:00.000-06:00

Another brief post, as it's late and my eyes are getting quite heavy. I know it's been a couple days, but I wanted to add my two cents about the passing of Michael Crichton. My friend alerted me to his death, and even though I hadn't read a book of his since Prey, I was devastated. Jurassic Park is one of the most worn out paperbacks on my shelf, and for a time I, like many other authors, devoured his work, from The Great Train Robbery to The Andromeda Strain to my personal favorite, Sphere.

He turned a book release into the literary equivalent of a summer blockbuster, and he will be sorely missed.

One thing of note. I've been hooked on the Hard Case Crime novels for a couple years now. Two books, Grave Descend and Zero Cool, were written by a gentleman named John Lange. I enjoyed his books so much, I researched the author to find other works of his. I was surprised and yet not surprised to discover John Lange was a pseudonym for Mr. Crichton.

Until next time,
B

TACKLING THE BIG ISSUES

2008-11-06T10:09:00.000-06:00

I started this blog with the intention of posting my work, exposing myself to new people and ideas, and answering the tough questions we all face in life. Well, this is one of those questions:

How many Spider-men can fit inside a Jamba Juice?

I will never have the means or fortitude to truly answer this query. But thankfully, my good friend David Letterman does. And did.

MEDITATIONS ON WRITING...AND SNACKS

2008-11-04T18:12:00.000-06:00

Writing is a lot like taking a road trip.

I mulled this concept over, appropriately enough, while driving home from Duluth this past weekend. With my wife sleeping soundly beside me, and nary a radio station to be found up and down the dial, I found myself facing a frightful situation: I was alone with my thoughts. Bear with me here.

Some trips are short, while others are cross-country treks. Oftentimes, snacks are involved, a bottle of soda, a box of Dots (don’t judge me!). If your destination is nearby, say a friend’s house, you may not even grab a snack. And you certainly don't need much guidance getting there. You use signposts, memory, and familiarity to lead you. This act, of course, is quite similar to writing a short story. You may use road signs, or an address scribbled in chicken scratch on a Post-it note, but never would you find the need to consult an atlas or a thick book of maps. When writing a short story, you may only hit upon the concept (I know! A man discovers a severed finger in his mailbox!) and let your own fingers - non-severed - get to work. The trip is fairly quick, and you likely take the most direct route to your destination.

When you're writing a longer work, say a novel, well the situation changes. The snacks are abundantly necessary (sometimes an entire cooler of beverages is in order!), and your atlas, your books of reference, and your highlighters are more than welcome to ride shotgun. You may even have mix CDs lined up to keep you company. The final destination is hazier, and there are more questions to be answered. How long will it take me to get there? Will my final destination be the same place I set out to reach when I left? Should I take the highway or the scenic route? Why did I think beef jerky nuggets were a good idea? When writing a novel, it’s most difficult (if not impossible) to drive the whole way without an outline, a treatment, and a beat sheet. They are your maps, your atlas, your Garmin GPS system with the androgynous voice telling you where you should turn, where you should stop for gas, and sometimes, when you should take a bathroom break (okay, maybe not that).

Even the act of writing itself is like driving. Again, there are times when writing is very much like hitting the highway and flicking on the cruise control. You kick back, roll the windows down, and crank the Rick Astley. It’s an enjoyable ride. The sun is out, the wind is in your hair, Mr. Astley is never gonna give/never gonna give/give you up. Other times, you hit construction, and what should really only take you an hour turns into a frustrating day of setbacks. There is often cursing involved, and hitting your head against the steering wheel. Another more pleasant option is, of course, the ability to turn off the highway, to have found that surprise that you didn’t expect, that town or park that damn near beckons you to stick around for a while, to enjoy the view.

In the end, the gooey moral at the center of this cheeseball is that it’s all about the trip. When you’re on the road, never think about the destination, and certainly never think about the fact that you’re alone on this ride. Think about those towns, the ones that you find along the way, and about the sheer joy of the open road.

And about Dots.

All the best,
B

WHO DOESN'T LIKE PIE?!

2008-11-03T10:51:00.000-06:00

All right, so the Halloween buzz is slowly fading away (though maybe not the sugar high from the bucketloads of candy). Fortunately, the holiday season looms around the corner, and soon enough, we will be sitting around the table with family and friends, enjoying massive amounts of food. And pie. Lots and lots of pie.

Well, have I got a book for all you pie lovers -- Garden County Pie: Sweet and Savory Delights From the Table of John Michael Lerma. Written by local chef and friend John Michael Lerma, the book features many unique and delicious pie recipes. John Michael has been featured on the Food Network, and is a staple on local radio and television. He, along with his husband Chad, have been friends with my wife and I for many years. We even traveled to Italy last year and spent a week with them and a group of amazing folks at a villa in Tuscany. Rough, I know.

Well, I'm pimping this book not only because John Michael is a friend of mine, but also because my wife Jennifer, a talented photographer, shot both the cover photo and many of the interior photos as well. We spent a whole day out in Stillwater at Chef's Gallery (a wonderful store run by our friend and fellow Italy travelmate Steph) cooking pies and styling pies and shooting pies and eating pies. Jen is quite pleased with how the photos turned out, and we can't wait to see the final product.

So check out the book on Amazon HERE. I believe it will be in stores by Thanksgiving, and will make the perfect stocking stuffer come Christmas.

Now go mow down some bite-size Snickers and Smarties before it's time for pie!

All the best,
B

MIDNIGHT CHRONICLES WEBSITE UPDATE!

2008-10-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

It feels like an eternity since I first stepped through the doors of Fantasy Flight Games, a Production Assistant, wet behind the ears, taking a stab at being an Assistant Director. The project was ambitious: two forty-five minute episodes of a fantasy television show, with wholly constructed sets, costumes, props and weapons, amazing make-up effects, green screen shots, a slew of local talent from the Guthrie and other reputable theaters, and about ten crew members. Total. Many of whom had never been on a film set before. Ah, the memories.

It was trial by fire, a marathon of filmmaking like none other. For two months, the production team (consisting of my good friend Keith and myself) secured actors, created a schedule, planned a week's worth of shooting in Pepin, WI (an hour jaunt from the Cities) and waded through four inch thick binders of storyboards to create shot lists. We were the first people in the door in the morning, and we shut off the lights at night.

Over the course of the next four months, we shot furiously, building a set, pre-lighting the set (many days on the same morning as the shoot), spending seventeen hours in a sweatbox warehouse while the neighboring warehouse, the cookie magnate Pepperidge Farms, was banging around and rocking out to loud music, only to tear the set down the next day and begin the process anew. Many of our interior sets were built to be mirrored, a tactic where we would shoot everything from one side, and instead of flipping the camera around, we would flip the light source and change the walls to re-create the other half of the room. There were 'exterior' sets, large buildings built on wheels to rotate at our every whim. And through it all, there was the heat. And the crew of twelve.

Halfway through the production, many of our crew went back to their original duties, at the neighboring building, where they worked as Fantasy Flight employees. So our crew was down to six. Keith, our illustrious producer, would pick up the bagels in the morning, and I, the assistant director, would take the trash out at night. And on we went, shooting an epic film in a small warehouse, with a tiny crew.

So that's a longwinded way for me to introduce the revamped Midnight Chronicles website, which you can view HERE. This link is of course accessible on my sidebar, under the 'Features I've Worked On' list. The film is finally complete, after an additional two months of shooting, many months of editing, and again, a handful of people taking on the task of creating amazing special effects shots. Keith and our sound designer and good friend Jason Beaudoin, have toiled in the trenches for what must feel like ages, to see that Midnight Chronicles makes it to screens everywhere. And I have no doubt it will.

It was my first time as Assistant Director, and despite the constant everyday battle of making a film on a small budget, I value the experience. Hey, I got to work side by side with one of my best friends, and met many others over the course of filming. Now is that really work?

All the best,
B

MOVIE RELEASE: 13 HOURS IN A WAREHOUSE

2008-10-29T12:11:00.000-05:00

Halloween is right around the corner. If you're like me, the month of October is damn near perfect. Between the falling leaves, crisp air, and the return of hot apple cider to the rotation of beverage choices, this time of year cannot be beat. And October would not be complete without the constant rotation of terribly great and the so-terrible-they're-great horror movies on television and in theaters (Return to House on Haunted Hill? Really? We needed to return there?!).

So in honor of October and Halloween, I present to you a little flick called 13 Hours in a Warehouse. In the summer of '07, a small but dedicated group of film folks (myself included) set out to make a low budget horror film about five thieves who hide out in a warehouse for the night. Only the warehouse ain't empty. There's a few ghosts roaming around. We shot the flick entirely in Minneapolis, with 95% of it obviously shot in the warehouse itself. It was a stiflingly hot, smoke-filled 18 day shoot, with every window in the joint blacked out to simulate night (shooting the film at night would have caused more headaches, plus a film shoot consisting of nothing but night shoots would have driven the crew - being paid mostly in sandwiches and compliments - away). It was my second film working as First Assistant Director, and I cherish the experience because I met many talented people who are now good friends and colleagues.

Director Dav Kaufman and producer Jasmine Reid secured worldwide distribution for the film through Maverick Entertainment. The movie can be found on Netflix, at Blockbuster (saw it there on the shelf yesterday!), and at Best Buy. For more info on the flick, check out the website HERE.

So check it out! There's no time like the present, especially since there's only a couple days left before it's time to retire the Michael Myers masks and scarecrows for another year. Sigh...couldn't it be October every month?

Until next time,
B

THE DAWNING OF A NEW AGE

2008-10-07T17:09:00.000-05:00

Well well well. We meet again. I've decided to shrug off that tired old blog and do something a little different. I came to the realization that there is no one in the world that should be better suited to advertise me than...well, me. So this blog is intended to showcase some of my work, keep you updated on what's going on in my little corner of the world, and of course be filled with meaningless ramblings about books, movies, comics, and life.

See ya real soon!
B

Mental Records

OLD SCHOOL: BLOOD MOON

SUMMER READING

SPRINGCON THIS WEEKEND!

WINONA OR BUST!

MS WALK MAY 1ST

A SHORT(S) POST

BLOOMINGTON WRITER'S FESTIVAL

HUT HUT HIKE!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Y'ALL!

HORRORWOOD GOES MOBILE

FALLCON COMIC BOOK PARTY!

ATTACK OF THE MOM!

SPRINGCON THIS WEEKEND

MS WALK THIS SUNDAY

'DAWINING' HITS MANKATO!

THE CASE OF THE MISSING BLOGGER

CATCH YOU LATER, 2009!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

'Drake Bacula: MonSTAR!' NOW AVAILABLE!

GHOST BEEF ACTION

BOO!

HORRORWOOD AT THE HEIGHTS

'INTO TEMPTATION' ON DVD

FALLCON THIS WEEKEND!

DRAKE BACULA: MONSTAR!

WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER SIGNINGS

INTO TEMPTATION IN THEATERS!? *UPDATE!!*

A SERIOUS TRAILER

A DODGER DREAM COME TRUE!

BOOKS I'M EXCITED TO READ

MIDNGHT CHRONICLES: THE LONG AWAITED RELEASE!

48 HOUR RE-CAP, PART THREE: SEVEN MINUTES EARLY

48 HOUR RE-CAP, PART TWO: DEEP NOW, FROM THE DIAPHRAGM

48 HOUR RE-CAP, PART ONE: GHOST MOVIE? AGAIN?!

48 HOUR FILM UPDATE COMING SOON

DAWNING TO PREMIERE AT SOLSTICE FILM FESTIVAL

MIDNIGHT DVD NEWS: THE SHADOW FALLS OVERSEAS

THE LITERARY ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER MARTIN

TRAILER? I HARDLY KNOW HER!

ALEXANDER MARTIN TERRELL

HOGDOGGIN' REPORT!

HOGDOGGIN' IT TOMORROW

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...?

MS WALK THIS SUNDAY

CONVENTION TIME!

WHY'D IT HAVE TO BE SNAKES?!

GEEK CRED!

READ THIS!! TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN

READ THIS!! THE GOOD GUY

CHANGE OF PLANS

IT FRAKKING STARTS TONIGHT!

ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

A STUDY IN SPANDEX

THE LINE MUST BE DRAWN HERE!

INTO TEMPTATION SCREENING

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO...?

I CAN'T FRAKKIN' WAIT!

READ DAMMIT!

CAN YOU SING, DANCE, AND HAVE THE PROPORTIONATE STRENGTH OF A SPIDER?!

13 HOURS IN A BLOCKBUSTER!

ABC MUST HATE ME.

BULLET POINTS

READ THIS!! YELLOW MEDICINE

TAKIN' CARE OF BUSINESS AFTER SUNSET!

SHORT FICTION: WRONG ADDRESS

THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CRICHTON

TACKLING THE BIG ISSUES

MEDITATIONS ON WRITING...AND SNACKS

WHO DOESN'T LIKE PIE?!

MIDNIGHT CHRONICLES WEBSITE UPDATE!

MOVIE RELEASE: 13 HOURS IN A WAREHOUSE

THE DAWNING OF A NEW AGE

INTO TEMPTATION IN THEATERS!? UPDATE!!